CA-125 Levels Vary by Patient Race at Ovarian Cancer Diagnosis

MONDAY, March 24, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Black and American Indian patients are less likely to have elevated cancer antigen (CA)-125 levels at ovarian cancer diagnosis, according to a study published online March 20 in JAMA Network Open.

Anna Jo Bodurtha Smith, M.D., M.P.H., from the University of Pennsylvania Health Systems in Philadelphia, and colleagues conducted a retrospective cohort study involving all patients with ovarian cancer diagnosed between Jan. 1, 2004, and Dec. 31, 2020, to examine CA-125 levels at ovarian cancer diagnosis by patient race and ethnicity.

Of the 250,749 patients included, 0.4, 3.7, 8.6, 85.2, and 2.0 percent were American Indian, Asian, Black, White, and other or unknown race, respectively, and 6.7, 88.8, and 4.6 percent were Hispanic, non-Hispanic, and unknown ethnicity, respectively. Overall, 212,477 had measured CA-125 levels and 88.2 percent had elevated CA-125 levels at diagnosis. The researchers found that the likelihood of having an elevated CA-125 level at ovarian cancer diagnosis was lower for patients of American Indian, Asian, or Black race versus White patients. After adjustment for stage, comorbidities, and menopausal stage, Black and American Indian patients had lower odds of elevated CA-125 than Whites (adjusted odds ratios, 0.77 and 0.77). For patients with high-grade serous ovarian cancer only, the odds of having elevated CA-125 at diagnosis were lower for Black patients (adjusted odds ratio, 0.81).

“Further work is needed to develop inclusive CA-125 thresholds and guidelines for an ovarian cancer diagnosis and prevent compounding disparities,” the authors write.

One author disclosed ties to GlaxoSmithKline.

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