Clotted blood tube (Serum gel separator clot activator tube)

Minimum blood volume: 5 mL

Authorisation code required

Yes

(Private patient, PWH surgical patient, PWH oncologist &  PWH medical GI specialist ONLY)

24 Hr available service

No

Method

Immunoassay

Reference interval

< 27 kIU/L

(Source: from manufacturer's kit insert)

Clinical indication

CA 19-9 is a marker for gastrointestinal malignancy, especially carcinoma of the pancreas.

Result interpretation

Persistence of an increased level after treatment indicates a significant amount of residual tumour.

Decrease to a normal level after treatment may mean eradication of the tumour or persistence of only small amounts of tumour; subsequent elevation indicates regrowth of the tumour.

Elevated levels are more commonly seen in patients with pancreatic cancer than any other gastrointestinal carcinoma, including colorectal.  It may also be seen in benign inflammatory diseases of the hepatobiliary tract, ovarian mucinous cystadenocarcinomas and uterine adenocarcinomas.