AI Article Synopsis
- Carbohydrate antigen 19-9 is a key serum marker for diagnosing pancreatic and biliary cancers, with levels above 1,000 U/ml often indicating digestive cancers, especially pancreatic cancer with over 99% specificity.
- However, false-positive results can occur due to non-cancerous conditions like pancreatitis or liver cirrhosis.
- The case presented involves a patient with gallstones and acute cholangitis who had an exceptionally high carbohydrate antigen 19-9 level of 9586 IU/ml but showed a significant drop in levels after treatment.
Article Abstract
Carbohydrate antigen 19-9 is most valuable as a serum marker for pancreatic and biliary cancer, but increased concentrations occur in several other gastrointestinal malignancies. A carbohydrate antigen 19-9 value of >1,000 U/ml usually indicates a digestive cancer and has been reported to have a specificity greater than 99% for pancreatic cancer; nevertheless, false-positive results owing to benign diseases such as pancreatitis or liver cirrhosis have been noted. We present a patient with cholelithiasis and choledocholithiasis with acute cholangitis who had very high serum levels of carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (9586 IU/ml). The rapid decrease in carbohydrate antigen 19-9 after successful treatment was as interesting as the pretreatment high serum level of carbohydrate antigen 19-9.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|---|
| http://dx.doi.org/10.4318/tjg.2010.0139 | DOI Listing |
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!