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HelpTest ID: CA19 Carbohydrate Antigen 19-9 (CA 19-9), Serum
Reporting Name
Carbohydrate Ag 19-9, SUseful For
As a potential adjunct for diagnosis and monitoring of pancreatic cancer
Potentially differentiating patients with cholangiocarcinoma and primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) from those with PSC alone
Specimen Type
SerumSpecimen Required
Patient Preparation: For 12 hours before specimen collection, patient should not take multivitamins or dietary supplements (eg, hair, skin, and nail supplements) containing biotin (vitamin B7).
Collection Container/Tube:
Preferred: Serum gel
Acceptable: Red top
Submission Container/Tube: Plastic vial
Specimen Volume: 0.6 mL
Collection Instructions:
1. Within 2 hours of collection, serum gel tubes should be centrifuged.
2. Within 2 hours of collection, red-top tubes should be centrifuged, and the serum aliquoted into a plastic vial.
Specimen Minimum Volume
0.5 mL
Specimen Stability Information
| Specimen Type | Temperature | Time | Special Container |
|---|---|---|---|
| Serum | Refrigerated (preferred) | 7 days | |
| Frozen | 90 days | ||
| Ambient | 8 hours |
Reference Values
<35 U/mL
Day(s) Performed
Monday through Saturday
Test Classification
This test has been cleared, approved, or is exempt by the US Food and Drug Administration and is used per manufacturer's instructions. Performance characteristics were verified by Mayo Clinic in a manner consistent with CLIA requirements.CPT Code Information
86301
LOINC Code Information
| Test ID | Test Order Name | Order LOINC Value |
|---|---|---|
| CA19 | Carbohydrate Ag 19-9, S | 83084-4 |
| Result ID | Test Result Name | Result LOINC Value |
|---|---|---|
| CA19 | Carbohydrate Ag 19-9, S | 83084-4 |
Clinical Information
Carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA 19-9) is a modified Lewis(a) blood group antigen. CA 19-9 may be elevated in patients with gastrointestinal malignancies such as cholangiocarcinoma, pancreatic cancer, or colon cancer.
Benign conditions, such as cirrhosis, cholestasis, and pancreatitis, also result in elevated serum CA 19-9 concentrations, but in these cases, values are usually below 1000 U/mL.
Individuals that are Lewis antigen negative (5%-7% of the population) do not express CA 19-9 due to the lack of the enzyme fucosyltransferase needed for CA 19-9 production. In these individuals, a low or undetectable serum CA 19-9 concentration is not informative regarding cancer recurrence.
Interpretation
Serial monitoring of carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA 19-9) should begin prior to therapy to verify post therapy decreases in CA 19-9 and to establish a baseline for evaluating possible recurrence. Single values of CA 19-9 are less informative.
Elevated values may be caused by a variety of malignant and nonmalignant conditions including cholangiocarcinoma, pancreatic cancer, and colon cancer.
Clinical Reference
1. Torok N, Gores GJ. Cholangiocarcinoma. Semin Gastrointest Dis. 2001;12(2):125-132
2. Scara S, Bottoni P, Scatena R. CA 19-9: Biochemical and clinical aspects. Adv Exp Med Biol. 2015;867:247-260. doi:10.1007/978-94-017-7215-0_15
Report Available
1 to 3 daysForms
If not ordering electronically, complete, print, and send Oncology Test Request (T729)
Method Name
Immunoenzymatic Assay
mml-gastrointestinal-cancer