Carbohydrate Antigen-125

Background: Carbohydrate antigen-125 (also known as cancer antigen-125) (CA-125) is a biomarker used to monitor for endometrial cancer progression, but it may also reflect other disease processes. Case Summary: A 70-year-old woman with metastatic endometrial cancer who was treated with paclitaxel, c...

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Main Authors: Vijay U. Rao, MD, PhD, Thomas Fretz, MD, Tina Ayeni, MD, Kerry Skurka, BSN, Meghana Raghavendra, MD, Ankur Kalra, MD, MS
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-07-01
Series:JACC: Case Reports
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666084925006448
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author Vijay U. Rao, MD, PhD
Thomas Fretz, MD
Tina Ayeni, MD
Kerry Skurka, BSN
Meghana Raghavendra, MD
Ankur Kalra, MD, MS
author_facet Vijay U. Rao, MD, PhD
Thomas Fretz, MD
Tina Ayeni, MD
Kerry Skurka, BSN
Meghana Raghavendra, MD
Ankur Kalra, MD, MS
author_sort Vijay U. Rao, MD, PhD
collection DOAJ
description Background: Carbohydrate antigen-125 (also known as cancer antigen-125) (CA-125) is a biomarker used to monitor for endometrial cancer progression, but it may also reflect other disease processes. Case Summary: A 70-year-old woman with metastatic endometrial cancer who was treated with paclitaxel, carboplatin, and pembrolizumab presented with new onset ascites and rising CA-125 levels concerning for cancer progression. She received a diagnosis of heart failure (HF) and normalized her CA-125 levels with loop diuretic agents without changing her oncologic treatment. Discussion: CA-125 is a novel biomarker for HF monitoring because it correlates with increased intracardiac filling pressures. In this patient, concomitant endometrial malignant disease and HF complicated ascertainment of ascites and elevated biomarker origin. Therefore, clinicians should consider alternate causes of elevated CA-125 levels besides cancer progression. Take-Home Message: CA-125 levels in patients with endometrial cancer may not always reflect cancer disease progression because levels can be influenced by the presence of HF.
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series JACC: Case Reports
spelling doaj-art-dfc2f04afc884ea8ac57f3acbf0e524b2025-08-20T02:43:24ZengElsevierJACC: Case Reports2666-08492025-07-01301710386610.1016/j.jaccas.2025.103866Carbohydrate Antigen-125Vijay U. Rao, MD, PhD0Thomas Fretz, MD1Tina Ayeni, MD2Kerry Skurka, BSN3Meghana Raghavendra, MD4Ankur Kalra, MD, MS5Indiana Heart Physicians, Franciscan Cardio-Oncology Center, Franciscan Health, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Address for correspondence: Dr Vijay U. Rao, Indiana Heart Physicians, 5330 East Stop 11 Road, Indianapolis, Indiana 46237, USA.Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USADepartment of Gynecologic Oncology, Franciscan Cardio-Oncology Center, Franciscan Health, Indianapolis, Indiana, USACardio-Oncology Program, Franciscan Cardio-Oncology Center, Franciscan Health, Indianapolis, Indiana, USADepartment of Oncology and Hematology, Franciscan Cardio-Oncology Center, Franciscan Health, Indianapolis, Indiana, USADepartment of Cardiovascular Medicine, Franciscan Health, Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Krannert Cardiovascular Research Center, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USABackground: Carbohydrate antigen-125 (also known as cancer antigen-125) (CA-125) is a biomarker used to monitor for endometrial cancer progression, but it may also reflect other disease processes. Case Summary: A 70-year-old woman with metastatic endometrial cancer who was treated with paclitaxel, carboplatin, and pembrolizumab presented with new onset ascites and rising CA-125 levels concerning for cancer progression. She received a diagnosis of heart failure (HF) and normalized her CA-125 levels with loop diuretic agents without changing her oncologic treatment. Discussion: CA-125 is a novel biomarker for HF monitoring because it correlates with increased intracardiac filling pressures. In this patient, concomitant endometrial malignant disease and HF complicated ascertainment of ascites and elevated biomarker origin. Therefore, clinicians should consider alternate causes of elevated CA-125 levels besides cancer progression. Take-Home Message: CA-125 levels in patients with endometrial cancer may not always reflect cancer disease progression because levels can be influenced by the presence of HF.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666084925006448biomarkercarbohydrate antigen-125diuresisheart failure
spellingShingle Vijay U. Rao, MD, PhD
Thomas Fretz, MD
Tina Ayeni, MD
Kerry Skurka, BSN
Meghana Raghavendra, MD
Ankur Kalra, MD, MS
Carbohydrate Antigen-125
JACC: Case Reports
biomarker
carbohydrate antigen-125
diuresis
heart failure
title Carbohydrate Antigen-125
title_full Carbohydrate Antigen-125
title_fullStr Carbohydrate Antigen-125
title_full_unstemmed Carbohydrate Antigen-125
title_short Carbohydrate Antigen-125
title_sort carbohydrate antigen 125
topic biomarker
carbohydrate antigen-125
diuresis
heart failure
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666084925006448
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AT kerryskurkabsn carbohydrateantigen125
AT meghanaraghavendramd carbohydrateantigen125
AT ankurkalramdms carbohydrateantigen125