CA 125 Test: A Screening Test For Ovarian Cancer? - Mayo Clinic

Should I ask my doctor for a CA 125 blood test to check for ovarian cancer?

The cancer antigen 125 (CA 125) blood test generally isn't recommended if you have an average risk of ovarian cancer.

Sometimes ovarian cancer causes a higher level of CA 125 in the blood. But that doesn't happen in everyone with ovarian cancer. Having a high level of CA 125 doesn't mean that you have ovarian cancer.

Many other conditions can raise your CA 125 level, including:

• Endometriosis
• Liver cirrhosis
• Menstruation
• Pelvic inflammatory disease
• Uterine fibroids

For these reasons, health care providers don't recommend CA 125 testing in those with an average risk of ovarian cancer.

Providers sometimes recommend CA 125 testing if you have a high risk of ovarian cancer. But not all providers agree on this advice. Your risk might be high if the genes that increase the risk of breast and ovarian cancers run in your family. These genes include BRCA1 and BRCA2.

If you're concerned about your risk of ovarian cancer, ask your provider about screening options and ways to lower your risk.

There is a problem with information submitted for this request. Review/update the information highlighted below and resubmit the form.

Women’s health topics - straight to your inbox

Get the latest information from our Mayo Clinic experts on women’s health topics, serious and complex conditions, wellness and more. Click to view a preview and subscribe below.

Email Address 1 Learn more about Mayo Clinic’s use of data.

We use the data you provide to deliver you the content you requested. To provide you with the most relevant and helpful information, we may combine your email and website data with other information we have about you. If you are a Mayo Clinic patient, we will only use your protected health information as outlined in our Notice of Privacy Practices. You may opt out of email communications at any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link in the email.

Subscribe

Thank you for subscribing!

You'll soon start receiving the latest Mayo Clinic health information you requested in your inbox.

Sorry something went wrong with your subscription

Please, try again in a couple of minutes

Retry

• Ovarian cancer: Still possible after hysterectomy?
• Pap test: Can it detect ovarian cancer?

• Share
• Tweet

Aug. 06, 2025 Show references

1. AskMayoExpert. BRCA pathogenic variants (mutations) (adult). Mayo Clinic; 2019.
2. Screening for ovarian cancer. U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/document/RecommendationStatementFinal/ovarian-cancer-screening. Accessed June 25, 2022.
3. Smith RA, et al. Cancer screening in the United States, 2019: A review of current American Cancer Society guidelines and current issues in cancer screening. CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians. 2019; doi:10.3322/caac.21557.
4. Carlson KJ. Screening for ovarian cancer. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search. Accessed June 25, 2022.

See more Expert Answers

Products and Services

1. A Book: Mayo Clinic Family Health Book
2. Assortment Women's Health Products from Mayo Clinic Store
3. Give today to find cancer cures for tomorrow

See also

1. Abdominal hysterectomy
2. Alternative cancer treatments: 11 options to consider
3. Beating Ovarian Cancer
4. Belching, intestinal gas, gas pains and bloating
5. Bleeding after hysterectomy: What can I expect?
6. BRCA gene test
7. CA 125 test
8. Cancer treatment
9. Chemo targets
10. Chemotherapy
11. Chemotherapy and hair loss: What to expect during treatment
12. Chemotherapy and sex: Is sexual activity OK during treatment?
13. Chemotherapy nausea and vomiting: Prevention is best defense
14. Doppler ultrasound: What is it used for?
15. Fertility preservation
16. Gas and gas pains
17. Hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC)
18. Magic mouthwash
19. Mouth sores caused by cancer treatment: How to cope
20. Oophorectomy (ovary removal surgery)
21. Ovarian cancer
22. Ovarian cancer: Still possible after hysterectomy?
23. Pap test: Can it detect ovarian cancer?
24. Pelvic exam
25. Pressurized intraperitoneal aerosol chemotherapy (PIPAC)
26. Ultrasound
27. Vaginal hysterectomy

Show more related content