This is an automatically translated article.
The article was professionally consulted by BSCK II Phung Thi Phuong Chi - Oncologist - Oncology Center - Vinmec Central Park International General Hospital.CA 19-9 is a tumor marker used in the diagnosis, treatment evaluation, and monitoring of patients with cancer. Quantifying CA 19-9 (carbohydrate antigen 19-9) blood is a special test, supporting the diagnosis of cancer, especially pancreatic cancer.
1. What is a cancer marker?
Cancer markers are substances produced by cancer cells or other cells of the body in response to cancer or certain benign diseases. Most cancer markers are still produced by normal cells, but the numbers increase greatly in the case of actual cancer.
Cancer markers can be detected in blood, urine, feces, tumor tissue or other organs or in body fluids of some cancer patients. Most cancer markers are antigenic proteins, but not all cancer antigens can be used as cancer markers.
There are some limitations to the use of cancer markers, which are sometimes noncancerous cases with increased levels of cancer markers. In addition, not everyone with cancer has elevated levels of cancer markers associated with this type of cancer.
Trắc nghiệm: Bạn biết gì về các yếu tố nguy cơ, chẩn đoán và điều trị ung thư tuyến tụy?
Ung thư tuyến tụy phổ biến thứ 10 trong những bệnh ung thư mới và là nguyên nhân thứ 4 gây tử vong do ung thư ở nam, nữ. Bài trắc nghiệm này sẽ kiểm tra kiến thức của bạn về các yếu tố nguy cơ, chẩn đoán và cách điều trị ung thư tuyến tụy.
Bài viết tham khảo nguồn: medicalnewstoday 2019
2. What is the CA19-9 test?
Cancer antigen CA19-9 (cancer antigen 19-9 or carbohydrate antigen 19-9) is also known as gastrointestinal cancer antigen (GICA). The main role of CA19-9 is to use it for early diagnosis, monitoring of treatment effectiveness, detection of recurrence and prognosis of pancreatic cancer. In diagnostic practice, the presence of symptoms of pancreatic or biliary obstruction and elevated serum CA 19-9 (carbohydrate antigen 19-9) levels are more conclusive evidence of pancreatic cancer than a benign pancreatic tumor. . CA19-9 is normally synthesized and secreted by epithelial cells of digestive and respiratory glands such as: pancreas, bile, stomach, gallbladder, colon, endometrium, and salivary glands. , prostate.... Therefore, plasma CA19-9 level may be increased in some cancers such as: pancreatic cancer, liver cancer, bile, stomach, colorectal, ovarian cancer... and can also increase in some benign diseases such as: biliary obstruction, cholangitis, enteritis, acute or chronic pancreatitis...
Xét nghiệm CA19-9 là gì?
3. Relationship between CA 19-9 and pancreatic cancer
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), pancreatic cancer (95% exocrine pancreatic cancer) is the 12th most common cancer in the world and the 7th leading cause of cancer death. In the early stages of pancreatic cancer, there are often no symptoms, making it difficult to diagnose.
Several factors can increase the risk of pancreatic cancer including: smoking; age (over 50 years old); gender (30% more male than female); family history; mutations in some genes; diabetes mellitus; overweight and obesity; chronic pancreatitis; Cirrhosis; stomach ulcers caused by H. pylori ; exposure to pesticides, dyes and some toxic chemicals.
Because of its low sensitivity and specificity, CA 19-9 is not sensitive or specific enough to be used as a cancer screening test. However, the quantitative CA 19-9 test is mainly used as a cancer marker. In early pancreatic cancer there are very few symptoms. When a person has symptoms of the disease and CA 19-9 levels are clearly elevated, pancreatic cancer is usually at an advanced stage.
For pancreatic cancer, changes in plasma CA 19-9 levels can help doctors assess disease stage, surgical ability, monitor response to chemotherapy, detect recurrence after surgery. and prognosis. For some other cancers, the clinical sensitivity of CA 19-9 is generally low and is often used only as an adjunct marker.
4. When to order CA19.9 test?
When the patient has any signs of suspected pancreatic disease accompanied by some systemic symptoms, CA 19-9 should be tested:
Frequent fatigue, weight loss; Fever of unknown cause; Anorexia, decreased appetite, nausea, vomiting; Persistent dull abdominal pain or low back pain not caused by mechanical factors; Jaundice, discolored stools, dark urine; In the late stage, the patient may have manifestations such as: chronic pain, erratic rise or fall in blood sugar, malabsorption, rapid weight loss.
5. Procedure for quantitative CA 19-9
5.1 Preoperative preparation The physician will explain the procedure to the patient prior to performing the CA19-9 tumor marker quantitative test; It is not necessary for the patient to fast before the test; 5.2 Implementation Procedure
Chuyên viên y tế lấy máu sẽ quấn một dải băng quanh tay để ngưng máu lưu thông
Cancer screening is a necessity for anyone in the current period when the quality of life is changing, the risk factors for cancer are increasing. Understanding that, Vinmec International General Hospital has implemented Cancer Screening Packages, applying the latest medical advances in cancer examination and screening to ensure accurate results and good support. for the detection and staging of the disease.
Doctor Phung Thi Phuong Chi has 20 years of professional experience at Ho Chi Minh City Oncology Hospital with strengths in cancer examination, diagnosis, and surgical treatment and chemotherapy.
Doctor Chi participated in domestic and foreign training courses and was one of the first surgeons to perform Laparoscopic Gynecological Cancer Surgery in Ho Chi Minh City.
If you have a need to screen for cancer at Vinmec and need more advice, please contact to book an online examination HERE.
SEE ALSO:
Learn about cancer markers CA 72-4 Meaning of quantification of CEA for cancer markers What are tumor markers?
