What is considered a very high CA 19-9 level?
Serum carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) is mainly used for the diagnosis and prognostic assessment of pancreatobiliary neoplasms. A CA19-9 level of >100 U/mL is more likely to indicate the presence of malignant diseases, especially early stage of pancreatic cancer (1).
What is a bad CA 19-9 level?
A CA 19-9 serum level of <100 U/mL implies likely resectable disease whereas levels >100 U/mL suggest unresectablity or metastatic disease.
What is the half life of CA 19-9?
The average half-life of CA 19-9 was 0.5 days in the first compartment and 4.3 days in the second compartment, while that of AFP was 1.0 days and 6.3 days, respectively. These values will be helpful in the interpretation of serum tumor marker levels after surgery.
How reliable is CA 19-9?
Overall, an elevated serum CA 19-9 level has a sensitivity of 79–81% and a specificity of 82–90% for diagnosing pancreatic cancer in symptomatic patients.
Can pancreatitis elevate CA 19-9?
Serum CA 19-9 and alpha-fetoprotein levels in primary hepatocellular carcinoma and liver cirrhosis. Pancreatitis also causes elevated CA 19-9 levels, but such levels rarely exceed 100 to 120 units/ml.
Can CA 19-9 be elevated for no reason?
If you do not have cancer and your results show a higher than normal level of CA 19-9, it may be a sign of one of the following noncancerous disorders: Pancreatitis, a noncancerous swelling of the pancreas. Gallstones. Bile duct blockage.
What causes elevated ca 19 9?
CA 19-9 may sometimes be ordered when a healthcare practitioner suspects bile duct cancer in a person with a bile duct obstruction. Non-cancerous causes of bile duct obstruction can cause very high CA 19-9 levels, which fall when the blockage is cleared.
What is a normal CA 19 9 value?
The normal CA 19-9 range in a healthy person is 0-37 units per milliliter. CA 19-9 levels can be higher in patients with pancreatic cancer. Rising CA 19-9 values mean the tumor is growing.
What is the best blood test for pancreatic cancer?
Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is another specialty test used to detect pancreatic cancer. A dye is used in the pancreas to detect blocked bile ducts. And x ray and a biopsy confirm a pancreatic cancer. A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is also used to detect pancreatic cancer.
How do you determine pancreatic cancer?
Stage 1: The tumor is less than 2 cm in diameter and is completely contained within the pancreas.