CA 19.9 test helps diagnose pancreatic cancer. CA 19.9 test is also known as Carbohydrate antigen 19.9 or cancer antigen 19-9. It is a tumour marker found in the blood. CA 19.9 test price usually ranges from Rs. 800 to Rs 1200, and an in-home collection is also available.
Tumour markers are substances produced by the body in response to cancer. They may also be produced by cancer cells and released in the blood or urine. CA 19.9 levels are found to be elevated in pancreatic cancer and many other benign (non-cancerous) and malignant (cancerous) conditions. Examples of different tumour markers are CA 125, CA 15.3, etc.
Some symptoms that may be indicative of pancreatic cancer are-
| Also known as | Carbohydrate Antigen test, Pancreatic cancer marker test, CA19.9 serum test, CA 19-9 test |
| Purpose | For diagnosis and treatment monitoring of Pancreatic cancer |
| Preparation | Fasting is not needed. No special preparation |
| Cost | Rs 700- Rs 1200 |
| Reporting time | 8-24 Hours |
CA 19.9 Test Price usually ranges from Rs 700 to Rs 1200. The actual price depends on the diagnostic center and the city. Bookmerilab partners with more than 200 diagnostic centres across India. We provide a 10-50% discount on medical diagnostic tests.
| Name of Lab | Test Price |
|---|---|
| Dr Lal Path labs | Rs 1350 |
| Metropolis Healthcare | Rs 1420 ( City-based ) |
| SRL Diagnostics | Rs 1600 |
| Redcliffe Lab | Rs 1485 |
| Vijaya Diagnostics | Rs 1200 |
The CA 19.9 test cost depends on the city as tier 2 cities may have lower prices than tier 1 cities. The table below list the prices for some major cities
| City | Test Price |
|---|---|
| CA 19.9 price in Delhi | Rs 700 to Rs 1900 |
| Mumbai | Rs 720 to Rs 1485 |
| CA 19.9 price in Bangalore | Rs 720 to Rs 1900 |
| Hyderabad | Rs 700 to Rs 1890 |
| Gurgaon | Rs 750 to Rs 1485 |
| CA 19.9 price in Chennai | Rs 720 to Rs 1485 |
| Kolkata | Rs 1000 to Rs 1350 |
CA 19.9 test may be advised to a person depending on their risks for certain cancers and symptoms. It is helpful for
No special preparation is needed. You may drink and eat normally before the test. Do inform your doctor if you are taking any medicines, both prescription and non-prescription, ayurvedic, etc.
It is a relatively simple diagnostic blood test. A blood sample is taken from the vein in your arm or hand by the following steps-
The entire procedure takes only a few minutes.
CA 19.9 is a very simple and safe blood test. The risks involved are the same as that in any other blood test. These include-
Minor pain and bruising that might occur will resolve on their own in a very short time.
The CA 19.9 test results should not be used as a sole interpreter of cancerous conditions. It should be used with findings from clinical evaluation and other diagnostic procedures. Normal Range and Value
Values less than 37 Units per millilitre (U/mL) are considered normal. Slight variation may be present among different laboratories.
| Parameter | Normal range | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| CA 19.9 | <37 | Units/mL |
The percentage positivity rate of CA 19.9 for a disease refers to the percentage of people suffering from the disease that show higher CA 19.9 levels. For example – Out of 100 pancreatic cancer patients, 80 will have an elevated serum 19-9 level. The other 20 will have normal CA 19.9 levels.
Similar information for other diseases is mentioned in the table below-
| Disease | Percentage Positivity Rate of CA 19-9 |
|---|---|
| Pancreatic Cancer | 80 |
| Hepatobiliary Cancer | 67 |
| Gastric Cancer | 40-50 |
| Hepatocellular Cancer | 30-50 |
| Colorectal Cancer | 30 |
| Breast Cancer | 15 |
| Pancreatitis | 10-20 |
| Benign Gastrointestinal disease | 10-20 |
A higher value of CA 19.9 may indicate the following
The values during the treatment can vary wherein –
Below is the sample report with all the conditions of reporting. It also depict the normal range and what abnormal range mean and its specificity.
An increased level does not necessarily indicate cancer, which may be raised in many other benign or non-cancerous conditions. Hence it is not used as a screening test for cancer.
The test does not help assess the response to radiation therapy as the dying cancer cells release CA 19-9. Hence a raised level in radiation therapy may not necessarily mean a poor response to therapy.
Despite its limitations, CA 19-9 is widely used as the only pancreatic cancer marker. It has a relatively high sensitivity and specificity rate for pancreatic and biliary duct tumours compared to other markers. A 100% sensitivity rate means the test does not exclude any diseased person. That is, all the people with the disease will have a positive test. There will not be any false negative case. A 100% specificity rate means the test will not include any non-diseased person. That is, the test is specific to a particular disease and will not include any person having a different disease. There will not be any false positive case.
In case you are getting the test done regularly for monitoring your treatment, it is best to get it done from the same laboratory for a better comparison of values.
Your doctor is the best person to help you understand the CA 19.9 test results. She/he will be able to correlate clinically. Hence you should not come to any conclusions unless you have taken an opinion from an expert.
We wish you the best of health!
A level greater than 37Units/mL may indicate cancer of the pancreas, liver, gallbladder, lung, colon, or stomach.
A higher value of CA 19-9 may indicate the following
-Pancreatic cancer
-Cancer of the Liver, Gall bladder, Lung, Bile duct, Colon, Stomach
-Infection of the pancreas or pancreatitis
-Infection of gall bladder
-Gallstones (calcifications or stones in the gall bladder)
-Liver Cirrhosis (Scarring or fibrosis of the liver leading to its failure)
-A genetic disease called cystic fibrosis that damages the lungs, digestive system, and other organs of the body
-Peptic ulcers (ulcers in the inner lining of the food pipe, stomach, or small intestines)
An increased level does not necessarily indicate cancer, which may be raised in many other benign or non-cancerous conditions. Hence it is not used as a screening test for cancer.CA 19-9 level has a sensitivity of 79–81% and a specificity of 82–90% for diagnosing pancreatic cancer in symptomatic patients.
CA 19-9 – Health Encyclopedia – University of Rochester Medical Center
Dr Garima Saroj is a dentist from Manipal college of dental sciences. She has previously worked at ESIC dental college and hospital Delhi and Dentecare multispecialty dental clinic Gurugram. She has a passion for writing for patient education and awareness.
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