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Is the prospective blood test for breast cancer similar to the CA125 test; are they looking into other ways to screen for ovarian cancer?

April 26, 2017breast cancer CA125 ovarian screen similar Test

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Is the prospective blood test for breast cancer similar to the CA125 test; are they looking into other ways to screen for ovarian cancer?

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Prospective genetic testing for breast cancer is not similar to CA-125 testing. The CA-125 blood test measures tumor burden – ie. it is a test for current cancer. It does not predict risk for cancer in the absence of current disease. There are currently two methods of screening for ovarian cancer – CA-125 and ultrasound. Both of these are considered experimental because their effectiveness is unproved. In addition to CA-125 there are a variety of other blood tests for ovarian cancer being examined in the US and Europe. However, these other tests are less well studied than CA-125 and are generally used only as part of ongoing research programs.