Exploring the landscape of CA-125 testing: A comprehensive analysis of Ministry of Health data

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the utilization patterns and clinical implications of cancer antigen 125 (CA-125) testing in the diagnosis of ovarian and endometrial cancers using a large-scale dataset obtained from the Ministry of Health. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on anonymized data collected between 2017 and 2021, comprising 3.917.240 individuals who underwent CA-125 testing. The data included demographic information, test results, diagnoses, and clinical characteristics. Descriptive statistics and comparative analyses were performed to assess the utilization trends and clinical outcomes associated with CA-125 testing. RESULTS: Among the study population, CA-125 testing was primarily requested for female individuals, with the highest number of tests performed in the age group of 18-64 years. The overall positive rate for CA-125 was 13.31%, with slightly lower rates observed in females (13.18%) than males (14.07%). The study identified a significant association between elevated CA-125 levels and cancer diagnoses, with 19.88% of positive CA-125 results indicating cancer, whereas 10.51% had no cancer diagnosis. Furthermore, the study revealed a higher likelihood of cancer detection among individuals aged 65 years and above, with a positive rate of 17.79%. CONCLUSION: Our findings provide valuable insights into the utilization patterns and clinical implications of CA-125 testing in ovarian and endometrial cancer diagnosis. While CA-125 remains a prominent tumor marker, its interpretation should consider age, gender, and clinical context. The study emphasizes the potential benefits of integrating additional markers and imaging modalities to enhance diagnostic accuracy. These findings contribute to optimizing the use of CA-125 testing for early detection and management of gynecological malignancies, thereby improving patient outcomes. Keywords: Big data; CA-125; clinical laboratory test; national health.