CA 125

What Does This Test Check?

CA 125 is a protein that can rise in ovarian disease, and it is the standard blood marker used alongside scans when ovarian problems are suspected.

Lola Health lists this as an add-on biomarker at £15, posted as a home sample with results in one to four working days. It cannot be bought on its own: you pick it while ordering one of Lola's main blood tests, so it suits someone who already knows which extra marker they want.

A raised level may indicate an ovarian issue, but it also rises with periods, endometriosis and benign cysts, and many early ovarian cancers produce normal levels. It is a weak screen on its own. Whatever the reading, an out-of-range result needs a doctor who can see the whole picture, so go through it with your GP before acting on it.