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← Return to CA 19-9 high but no malignancy
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CA 19-9 high but no malignancy
Pancreatic Cancer | Last Active: Nov 14, 2025 | Replies (23)Comment receiving replies
@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.
Replies to "@joiedevivre Thank you so much for this post. Yes, this is precisely the understanding I've had..."
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@nbcesq My husband suffered from radiotherapy; it did nothing to get rid of the local recurrence at the resected edge of the pancreas (he had distal pancreatectomy in Dec 2023) but caused all kinds of problems to his gastrointestinal system. 5 weeks in hospital, 10 days of which in ICU (3 major surgeries!). Miraculously, he recovered sufficiently for chemo to restart 4 weeks after discharge. Markers now at 2800+. Cancer has spread to the peritoneum although the bit at the resected edge remained stable. He is on Folfirinox with a twist (or so onco says). He only had 3 sessions of Folfirinox before he was switched to Gem-Abr which controlled his cancer for 15 months. Onco reckons the cancer has now developed a resistance to Gem-Abr.
I am sure everyone in this forum will agree Pancreatic cancer sucks! But the trick is to stay alive and relatively well and pray for a breakthrough with all the clinical trials.