what does a rising ca 9-19 mean?
Elevated CA 19.9 levels are not specific for pancreatic cancer, but are elevated in other benign and malignant disorders.Other GI malignancies are also associated with elevated CA 19.9 levels, but not usually to the same extent as pancreatic cancer.A 19.9 is not a very useful screening test for pancreatic cancer in asymptomatic patients. The maximum achievable sensitivity is 95%, since 5% of the U. S. population are Lewis a & b nonsecretors and do not synthesize CA 19.9.