Short Name: CA19.9
Sample required: Serum
Result Time: 2 HR
Carbohydrate Antigen 19-9 (CA 19-9) is a protein that exists on the surface of certain cells. CA 19-9 does not cause cancer; rather, it is a protein that is shed by the tumor cells, making it useful as a tumor marker to follow the course of the cancer. This test is useful for therapeutic monitoring in pancreatic, gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary malignincies, to help differentiate between cancer of the pancreas and bile ducts, to monitor a patients response to treatment, and to watch for pancreatic cancer recurrence. HIGH levels are seen in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer, colorectal cancer, lung cancer, gall bladder cancer, pancreatittis, cystic fibrosis, and liver disease. LOW amounts of CA 19-9 can be detected in a certain percentage of healthy people, and many conditions that affect the liver or pancreas can cause temporary elevations.