CA 19-9 and pancreatic cancer: What do the numbers mean?

Posted by lisarlee @lisarlee, Feb 1, 2020

What is your opinion on these numbers? Was diagnosed in September 2019 and my ca 19-9 was 7500. New number yesterday was 909 after 9 chemo sessions. Is this good news or a wasted test?

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colorado19 | @colorafo19 | Jun 16, 2022

In reply to @maui "Which combo helped the most?" + (show)

He also had radiation everyday for 6 weeks and had a chemo pump that entire time. I really can’t say which regimen worked the best. They both had pros and cons. Both “worked” at the time I guess. It was a very hard battle for 3.5 years.

maui | @maui | Jun 16, 2022

In reply to @maui "Which combo helped the most?" + (show)

So far we have tried FOLFOX - 5FU, leucovorin and oxaliplatine. Tough for side effects. It was recently changed for FOLFIRI- 5 FU , Leucovorin and Itinotecan.

maui | @maui | Jun 16, 2022

In reply to @colorafo19 "He was on all of this. Not at the same time. Gemcitabine (Gemzar) 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) Irinotecan..." + (show)

Which combo helped the most?

colorado19 | @colorafo19 | Jun 16, 2022

In reply to @maui "What chemo was he on?" + (show)

He was on all of this. Not at the same time. Over the course of 3.5 years.
Gemcitabine (Gemzar)
5-fluorouracil (5-FU) or Capecitabine (Xeloda) (an oral 5FU drug)
Irinotecan (Camptosar) or Liposomal Irinotecan (Onivyde)
Platinum agents : Cisplatin and Oxaliplatin (Eloxatin)
Taxanes: Paclitaxel (Taxol), Docetaxel (Taxotere), and Albumin-bound paclitaxel (Abraxane)

colorado19 | @colorafo19 | Jun 16, 2022

He was on all of this. Not at the same time.
Gemcitabine (Gemzar)
5-fluorouracil (5-FU)
Irinotecan (Camptosar) or Liposomal Irinotecan (Onivyde)
Oxaliplatin (Eloxatin)
Docetaxel (Taxotere), and Albumin-bound paclitaxel (Abraxane)

maui | @maui | Jun 16, 2022

In reply to @colorafo19 "My husband started out at 24,000!!!! He is now down to 64." + (show)

What chemo was he on?

leighs2011 | @leighs2011 | May 2, 2022

In reply to @colorafo19 "Yes he has had scans that definitely show the tumor is gone. His last PET Scan..." + (show)

I found that your situation is interesting. My situation is similar but different. I have stable reoccurrence tumor in pancreas and mets to the lungs as well that are small with small growth. I had these larger lung mets ablated successfully but now 20 or so small ones. So maybe if your mets nodules grow bigger you can have them ablated. Good luck!

jk2 | @jk2 | Apr 30, 2022

In reply to @colleenyoung "The decline of your CA 19-9 numbers sound encouraging, @jk2. Did you have surgery as well..." + (show)

No surgery (yet). Told I tolerated chemo (3 different drugs) amazingly well. Most recent, 5 of 6, not so much.
CT and PET moved up. 6 weeks of 5 days a week radiation. After that, surgeon consult.

Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | Apr 29, 2022

In reply to @jk2 "Tail pancreatic cancer. I started with a CA 19-9 of 690 and stage 3. One month..." + (show)

The decline of your CA 19-9 numbers sound encouraging, @jk2.

Did you have surgery as well as chemo? How are you doing on the chemo? Managing side effects okay?

jk2 | @jk2 | Apr 29, 2022

In reply to @colorafo19 "My husband started out at 24,000!!!! He is now down to 64." + (show)

Tail pancreatic cancer.
I started with a CA 19-9 of 690 and stage 3. One month later, it was 505, the next 190 and the last, two weeks later after my 5th of 6 chemo (alternate weeks ), 93.

It is my understanding that this tumor marker shows ALL tumors, so part of the number may even be non cancerous tumors.

I'm now being scheduled for a CT scan, and another test for 6 weeks of 5 days a week radiation.

When the CT comes back, I'm hopeful that this scourge of my bodies own making, will show totally or almost totally dead, as I demanded in my thoughts and dreams.

My doctor, her PAs, all the staff and the facilities at Jupiter Medical Center's Anderson Cancer Center, are the best I could hope for.