Customer question:
What does the blood count look like in a patient with pancreatic cancer? Question from an anonymous forum customer
Pharmacist's answer:
High levels of CA 19-9 in the blood are often a sign of pancreatic cancer. But high levels can also be a sign of other types of cancer or conditions other than cancer. For example, gallstones and liver cirrhosis can cause high CA 19-9.
The CA 19-9 test measures the amount of a protein called CA 19-9 (cancer antigen 19-9) in a blood sample. CA 19-9 is a type of tumor marker. Tumor markers are substances produced by cancer cells or normal cells in response to cancer in the body.
Because high CA 19-9 levels can mean different things, the test is not used to detect or diagnose cancer or other diseases. But it can help monitor cancer and check how well the treatment goes.
Some people do not make the CA 19-9 protein, even if they have cancer. Therefore, the CA 19-9 tumor marker test is not helpful for these people. However, you may need a blood test for CA 19-9 if you have been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer or another type of cancer that causes high CA 19-9.
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