For our example, these numbers are useless as predictors. My spouse had a high of 80 CA-19-9 for a few months before his Whipple— they were in the 30s at time of diagnosis. Pathology report from surgery showed the course of neoadjuvent Folfirinox was ineffective and 4/31 nodes were cancerous, margins clear.

Once inflammation calmed, CA-19-9 plummeted, then rose to normal levels (from single digits to teens to twenties—considered normal—over the course of nine months).

CEA levels were normal too. Post surgery Gem/Abx levels were in low normal range—like yours. Even on the day a CT scan showed reoccurrence, nine months after surgery.

The two extensive blood Labs taken for clinical trials so far for a targeted inhibitor did not include either test. I did not ask why.