CA 19-9 antigen (stomach, pancreas)

Carbohydrate antigen 19-9 is a high–molecular protein synthesized in large quantities in the embryo. In the adult body, only a small number of CA19-9 is found in the cells of the pancreas, liver, lungs, and mucous membranes.

The physiological role of the antigen is unknown, however, in medical practice, the definition of CA19–9 is used to diagnose oncological diseases. C19-9 is an oncomarker, a substance that is produced in cancer cells, therefore, with certain oncological diseases, the concentration of C19-9 increases sharply.

The most common cause of a significant increase in C19-9 levels is pancreatic cancer, followed by cancer of the hepatobiliary system. This cancer marker is used to monitor the effectiveness of surgical treatment of a tumor – after its removal, the concentration of C19-9 should decrease sharply and not increase. If cancer cells remain in the body, then C19–9 will begin to increase again.

The analysis itself cannot diagnose cancer, but a positive test indicates the need for a more thorough and detailed examination to confirm or refute the diagnosis. Read also: What Oncomarkers Can Tell You, 10 Main Cancer Symptoms Worth Knowing About