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CA 19-9 and pancreatic cancer: What do the numbers mean?
Pancreatic Cancer | Last Active: Sep 9, 2023 | Replies (116)Comment receiving replies
Since my diagnosis of pancreatic cancer in January, my CA19-9 levels always been reported as under 2. My oncologist has told me that my pancreas is not secreting any antigen to measure and therefore the CA19-9 marker is not meaningful. This seems to be highly unusual but he says that 20 – 30% of patients with pancreatic adenoca have a normal CA19-9 level. If this were as frequent as he says, why isn't there more of a discussion around the absence of this critical measurement marker?
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Having an adenocarcinoma and not being a secretor of CA19-9 is known and documented. Approximately 10% of the Caucasian population of North America are non secretors. The cause is related to the Lewis antigen which determines blood group factor. Those with the genetics of the gene that codes for the antigen having Le-a-, Le-b- are non-secretors. Their CA19-9 value will range between -3U/mL and +3U/mL. The reason it is possible to have a negative value is that the inherent error of measurement is +/-3.