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Is CA19-9 Level Of 31 Considered Normal?
Question: I have a question regarding CA19-9 levels. Two years ago, I had all my levels tested because of some upper abdominal pain and weight loss that has since resolved. My initial CA19-9 test was 43. They repeated it 8 days later and it went down to 35. Two and a half months after that, it was at 31.
During that time, I had an abdominal ultrasound, an abdominal MRI, a pelvic ultrasound, a colonoscopy and an upper endoscopy. I had these because of symptoms and not the tumor marker. The results were normal with the exception of chronic and mild gastritis (as the result of aspirin use, I was told), uterine fibroids (I apparently have several), and very enlarged kidney and ovarian veins (I have an IVC occlusion).
Given all that, I am curious if there is any need to worry about the minor elevation in the Ca19-9. Because it went down without any sort of treatment, I am curious if it's an indication of inflammation beyond anything else.
My other tumor markers were all normal. I am also curious as to why some people have higher CA19-9 levels than others (the 0-37 range is quite wide). And wondering if my baseline could just be higher and that it was never really elevated to begin with.
I have read that some things can increase levels, such as fibroids, low BMI, and benign pulmonary disease (I am asthmatic and have dilated bronchi on my chest xrays which I'm told could be from childhood pneumonia). I also have congenital heart disease.
So I am curious as to your opinion regarding the CA19-9 level and if 31, which is what it last tested at, is a normal level. I have not had symptoms since then though I do notice that my stomach feels off when I take too much aspirin. Thank you.
During that time, I had an abdominal ultrasound, an abdominal MRI, a pelvic ultrasound, a colonoscopy and an upper endoscopy. I had these because of symptoms and not the tumor marker. The results were normal with the exception of chronic and mild gastritis (as the result of aspirin use, I was told), uterine fibroids (I apparently have several), and very enlarged kidney and ovarian veins (I have an IVC occlusion).
Given all that, I am curious if there is any need to worry about the minor elevation in the Ca19-9. Because it went down without any sort of treatment, I am curious if it's an indication of inflammation beyond anything else.
My other tumor markers were all normal. I am also curious as to why some people have higher CA19-9 levels than others (the 0-37 range is quite wide). And wondering if my baseline could just be higher and that it was never really elevated to begin with.
I have read that some things can increase levels, such as fibroids, low BMI, and benign pulmonary disease (I am asthmatic and have dilated bronchi on my chest xrays which I'm told could be from childhood pneumonia). I also have congenital heart disease.
So I am curious as to your opinion regarding the CA19-9 level and if 31, which is what it last tested at, is a normal level. I have not had symptoms since then though I do notice that my stomach feels off when I take too much aspirin. Thank you.
Brief Answer:
No significance.
Detailed Answer:
Hello and thanks for your query my dear patient,
A high amount of CA 19-9 is most commonly caused by pancreatic cancer. But it can also be caused by the infections in your liver, gallbladder, and pancreas.Basically and practically role of CA 19 9 is to rule out possibility of pancreatic cancer and its a marker used for that only.
Though it can be elevated in numerous other condition but for clinical medicine or from gastroenterology point of view we use it to sceen for pancreatic cancer.
Secondly mild elevation from normal range has no significance.It should be elevated maximum two times the upper normal value. Our body is a complex system where thousands of parameters have to be maintained daily.Its not possible that each and every parameter is always normal.Secondly what we consider as normal is 95th percentile which means in a group of 100 heathy individuals the range found in 95 of them is called normal range however its not necessary that mild derangement always means that you are sick.It could be suggestive of fact that you are among the rest 5 persons.
Clinically as all investigations are normal and multiple other conditions are associated mild derangement of a particular hormone is possible and has no significance.
Hope i cleared your doubt.
Feel free to follow up.
Thank you.
No significance.
Detailed Answer:
Hello and thanks for your query my dear patient,
A high amount of CA 19-9 is most commonly caused by pancreatic cancer. But it can also be caused by the infections in your liver, gallbladder, and pancreas.Basically and practically role of CA 19 9 is to rule out possibility of pancreatic cancer and its a marker used for that only.
Though it can be elevated in numerous other condition but for clinical medicine or from gastroenterology point of view we use it to sceen for pancreatic cancer.
Secondly mild elevation from normal range has no significance.It should be elevated maximum two times the upper normal value. Our body is a complex system where thousands of parameters have to be maintained daily.Its not possible that each and every parameter is always normal.Secondly what we consider as normal is 95th percentile which means in a group of 100 heathy individuals the range found in 95 of them is called normal range however its not necessary that mild derangement always means that you are sick.It could be suggestive of fact that you are among the rest 5 persons.
Clinically as all investigations are normal and multiple other conditions are associated mild derangement of a particular hormone is possible and has no significance.
Hope i cleared your doubt.
Feel free to follow up.
Thank you.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Raju A.T
Thank you for the reply. Does the fact that the levels went back down indicate whatever was causing the mild elevation cleared up on its own? They went down to normal within 8 days and then fell a bit more a few months later.
Brief Answer:
Follow up answer.
Detailed Answer:
Hello again,
Yes there is a possibility that some infection might be there in body at the time of first check up which cleared itself by the time you were investigated again,
I don't think that there i any need to worry about that considering the fact that other investigations are also fully normal.
Wish you good life ahead .
Feel free to follow up.
Regards.
Follow up answer.
Detailed Answer:
Hello again,
Yes there is a possibility that some infection might be there in body at the time of first check up which cleared itself by the time you were investigated again,
I don't think that there i any need to worry about that considering the fact that other investigations are also fully normal.
Wish you good life ahead .
Feel free to follow up.
Regards.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Kampana
Thank you again for your time.
Is it fair to assume that if there was anything progressive causing this, the slight elevation would not have cleared up on its own? It returned to normal within 8 days and then dropped a little more a few months later. I assume the elevation would have increased with an underlying disease?
Is it fair to assume that if there was anything progressive causing this, the slight elevation would not have cleared up on its own? It returned to normal within 8 days and then dropped a little more a few months later. I assume the elevation would have increased with an underlying disease?
Brief Answer:
an abdominal MRI is normal whats the worth of a tumor marker in front of MRI.
Detailed Answer:
Hello again,
Mam minimum two times the upper normal level elevation has any significance.
A doctor would never treat numbers but would treat symptoms and patient as a whole.
I would give you an example try it yourself get a liver function test done at three different labs on the same day.You would see a difference of 5-10% in values of each lab.
See these tests are done manually and there are hundreds of machines with different quality of censors available in market;what i want to say that you can't be that calculative.
It was just a initial screening test so don't panic that much about it.
Hope you are relieved now.
Please feel free to follow up.
an abdominal MRI is normal whats the worth of a tumor marker in front of MRI.
Detailed Answer:
Hello again,
Mam minimum two times the upper normal level elevation has any significance.
A doctor would never treat numbers but would treat symptoms and patient as a whole.
I would give you an example try it yourself get a liver function test done at three different labs on the same day.You would see a difference of 5-10% in values of each lab.
See these tests are done manually and there are hundreds of machines with different quality of censors available in market;what i want to say that you can't be that calculative.
It was just a initial screening test so don't panic that much about it.
Hope you are relieved now.
Please feel free to follow up.
Note: For further follow up on digestive issues share your reports here and Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Nagamani Ng
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