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CA 19-9 high but no malignancy
Pancreatic Cancer | Last Active: Nov 14, 2025 | Replies (23)Comment receiving replies
@nbcesq I don't want to be a wet blanket or bearer of bad news but climbing CA19-9 levels should be watched. In March 2025, my husband's PET scan showed no evidence of disease but the CA19-9 levels climbed slowly from normal to 40s and then 70s even with Gem-Abraxane. The onco continued with chemo and scans. In a PET scan in May, the cancer showed up. Sometimes the cancer is so 'small' that it cannot be picked up in a scan. I hope for yours it's the supplements but just keep an eye on things. All the best.
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@joiedevivre Thank you so much for this post. Yes, this is precisely the understanding I've had thus far -- that we're in a waiting game, just needing to allow the cancer to metastasize to the point where it can be detected on radiological scans. So I'm continuing on a new chemo regimen now, and will repeat the PET scan in December. Even if nothing shows up then, I know that the fact that the CA 19-9 levels have climbed after surgery and chemo correlates with a high likelihood of metastasis and shorter life expectancy. I just don't want to fail to take account of any other possible explanations for the CA 19-9 rise. Has your husband managed to survive thus far -- and if so, is he receiving radiology in addition to chemo? My very best wishes to you and to him.