[Medical Q&A] Does an elevated CA19-9 mean that you have a tumor?

Planner: Chinese Medical Association

Reviewer: Ning Yongzhong, Chief Technician, Beijing Chuiyangliu Hospital

If the level of carbohydrate antigen (CA) 19-9 in the blood is elevated, this may indicate certain health problems, but it is not necessarily a cancer.

CA19-9 is a carbohydrate protein tumor marker abnormally expressed by tumor cells and tissues. It can be abnormally elevated in digestive tract tumors such as pancreatic cancer, liver cancer, and gastric cancer. However, studies have shown that CA19-9 is not only expressed in tumor cells, but can also be significantly expressed in a variety of benign diseases, including biliary diseases, diabetes, echinococcosis (

Also known as "echinococcosis"), etc. In addition, CA19-9 can be used as an auxiliary observation indicator for acute cholangitis, and the serum CA19-9 content of patients with acute cholangitis with obstructive jaundice will also increase. CA19-9 can also be seen in benign lung diseases, chronic pancreatitis, cholelithiasis, hepatitis, cirrhosis, etc. It can also be used for the diagnosis of digestive system tumors, especially pancreatic cancer and bile duct cancer, disease course assessment and recurrence and metastasis monitoring. In addition, certain situations, such as smoking, drinking or other bad living habits, may also affect the level of CA19-9.

Therefore, if the test results show that CA19-9 is elevated, it does not necessarily mean that you have a tumor. It is recommended to seek medical attention in time and have a professional doctor conduct a comprehensive examination and evaluation to determine the specific cause and develop a treatment plan as needed.