Very high CA19-9 numbers?
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Yes, Paul….the upcoming scan will clarify matters. BTW: I also wanted to mention that it is really important to stay hydrated while undergoing chemo. But, you probably already know that.
Good luck on the sacn.
All my best wishes,
Marionmarions, I’ve been reading a lot about CA19-9 and seems that this number requires a complementary test, like CT scans. And the numbers range is very different for other cancers, like pancreatic cancer.
Nancy, I’ve finding that the units for CA19-9 is U/mL or kU/L. From my internet searching, this number ranges from 0 to 50000.Lastly, my brother’s doctor stated that obstruction in the biliary tracts will lead to spikes in CA19-9 numbers. (I found the same info searching internet.) Although on the same blood draw as his CA19-9, his liver function metrics (I forget which ones) all indicated positive response.
We hope for better news from the CT scan in two days.Hi Paul, I think the CA 19-9 numbers are on a different scale here in Canada. We don’t look at #’s in the 1000’s here so not sure how to gauge those numbers. I can tell you that me husbands markers at first went up with chemo and then started coming down. His CA 19-9 is now in normal range after 7.5 sessions of gem/cis. The stage 4 cancer is still there in his liver and bones, but has not progressed since Feb. (he started chemo in Dec)
What did your brother’s new CT show? Wishing you all the best. NancyHello paul and welcome to our site. We call it the site no one wants to belong to but, are happy to have found. Tumor markers often times provide a baseline for treatment. The trend of the markers plus other symptoms and scan results take on an important role in the evaluation of patient progress. Fluctuation of the CA 19-9 markers may occur due to various reasons including, chemotherapy and radiation treatments. We have seen, on this board, often times for the markers to be moving around without any indication of disease progression. Of course, your brother
Hi,
I’m a new member and I thank everyone sharing so much helpful info in this forum.
My brother was diagnosed with intrahepatic CC (with met to liver and 2 lymphnodes) on 4/13 and started gem/cis chemo on 4/22.
After one round, his CA19-9 numbers are ~24000 vs. ~17000 before starting chemo.
His doctor is switching him to GTX chemo very soon, after an immediate CT scan of the situation.
Other than fatigue, he is actually feeling good during the last month of chemo treatment and “felt” the chemo is working.My question is, what does this high CA19-9 number mean? I’m reading on this forum that many patients on chemo treatments are looking at thresholds of ~100. But he is not ~240X worst than normal. Does this indicate the aggressiveness of the tumors?
His lungs, pancreas, and other major organ are found to be void of cancer, but does that high number mean met to some unknown places like bones?
Thanks in advance for everyone’s help.
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