Cancer Antigen 19.9 - Pancreatic Cancer Marker Test

Pancreatic cancer is an aggressive tumor with the characteristic of dismal prognosis. The biomarkers which detect the tumor at early stage might be helpful in the terms of improving the prognosis. As of now only, serum CA 19-9 is the validated marker for the clinical use to check the presence of tumor. Serum CA 19-9 is used for the detection of the tumor. Pancreatic cancer is one of the widespread cancers leading to death of the peoples worldwide. The lethal nature and aggressiveness of the disease can be predicted by the fact that the death rate by pancreatic cancer is equivalent to the mortality rate. A revelation has been made from a population based survey that the survival chances in case of advanced pancreatic cancer is 5 years of 4-6 percent patients surfing from the disease. In 1979, Koprowski et al. used hybridoma technology and identified carbohydrate antigen 19-9, i.e., CA 19-9, which recognises sialo ganglioside with the use of monoclonal antibody, named, 1116-NS-19-9.

Plasma serum needs to be collected in order to do the test through the method of venepuncture. To avoid the microbial and bacterial infection, the area is cleaned with a spirit before the collection of the blood.

An elevation in the CA 19-9 is observed in case of tumors related to bile and this helps in detection of the tumor by testing the CA 19-9. CA 19-9 is elevated in almost 65% of the cases of bile duct cancer. Rising level of CA 19-9 means that the tumor in the body is growing. The tumor cell also secrete CA 19-9 and hence its level increases in case of the tumor. As the tumor grows the significant increase in the level of CA 19-9 is also observed. A decline in the level of the CA 19-9 which is followed by the elevated level is indicative of the progression or recurrence of the tumor.

CA 19-9 is prescribed when the patient has been diagnosed with the pancreatic cancer or has the signs and symptoms indicative of the pancreatic cancer. The early symptoms and signs of the pancreatic cancer might be subtle and nonspecific. Abdominal pain, nausea, loss of appetite and an unexplained loss of weight are some of the early symptoms. Jaundice is also one of the early symptoms of the pancreatic cancer. In later stage of the pancreatic cancer, vomiting, malabsorption, nausea and chronic pain is observed. Problems in controlling the blood glucose level might also be seen.