Chris Re: Info needed on 19.9 test results

[Guest guest]

I know this mentions PANCREATIC cancer but I wouldn't panic because

Phil's levels for Pancreatic came out high too and he definitely does NOT have

it.

If you read further down in the article you'll see they use this to

determine liver and colon tumors too. It looks to indicate severity of disease.

Don't

panic this test turned out pretty bad for Phil but look at how well he has

done!

Sorry I didn't find this for you sooner and hope it gives you the answers

you are looking for.

Narice

At A Glance

Why get tested?

To help differentiate between cancer of the pancreas and bile ducts and

other conditions; to monitor response to pancreatic cancer treatment and to

watch

for recurrence

When to get tested?

When your doctor suspects that you have pancreatic cancer and during or

following pancreatic cancer treatment

Sample required?

A blood sample drawn from a vein in your arm

The Test Sample

What is being tested?

Cancer 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.

CA 19-9 is elevated in most patients with advanced pancreatic cancer, but it

may also be elevated in other cancers, conditions, and diseases such as

colorectal cancer, lung cancer, gall bladder cancer, gall stones, pancreatitis,

cystic fibrosis, and liver disease. Very small amounts of 19-9 may also be

found in healthy patients.

How is the sample collected for testing?

A blood sample is obtained by inserting a needle into a vein in the arm.

How is it used?

CA 19-9 is not sensitive or specific enough to be considered useful as a

tool for cancer screening. Its main use is as a tumor marker:

to help differentiate between cancer of the pancreas and bile ducts and

other non-cancerous conditions, such as pancreatitis;

to monitor a patient's response to pancreatic cancer treatment; and

to watch for pancreatic cancer recurrence.

CA 19-9 can only be used as a marker if the cancer is producing elevated

amounts of it; if CA 19-9 is not initially elevated, then it usually cannot be

used later as a marker.

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When is it ordered?

CA 19-9 may be ordered along with other tests, such as carcinoembryonic

antigen (CEA), bilirubin, and/or a liver panel, when a patient has symptoms

that

may indicate pancreatic cancer, including abdominal pain, nausea, weight

loss, and jaundice.

If CA 19-9 is initially elevated in pancreatic cancer, then it may be

ordered several times during cancer treatment to monitor response and, on a

regular

basis following treatment, to help detect recurrence.

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What does the test result mean?

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.

Moderate to high levels are found in pancreatic cancer, other cancers, and

in several other diseases and conditions. The highest levels of CA 19-9 are

seen in excretory ductal pancreatic cancer -- cancer that is found in the

pancreas tissues that produce food-digesting enzymes and in the ducts that carry

those enzymes into the small intestine. This tissue is where 95% of pancreatic

cancers are found.

Serial measurements of CA 19-9 may be useful during and following treatment

because rising or falling levels may give your doctor important information

about whether the treatment is working, whether all of the cancer was removed

successfully during surgery, and whether the cancer is likely returning.

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Is there anything else I should know?

Unfortunately, early pancreatic cancer gives few warnings. By the time a

patient has symptoms and significantly elevated levels of CA 19-9, their

pancreatic cancer is usually at an advanced stage.