title: Markedly elevated serum CA 19-9 levels in a case of chronic pancreatitis.
abstract: Serum levels of carbohydrate antigen (CA) 19-9 exceeding 1000 U/mL are considered highly specific for pancreatic cancer and have not been reported in nonmalignant pancreatic disease. A young man with obstructive jaundice, a serum CA 19-9 level of 2350 U/mL and a mass in the head of the pancreas, seen on computed tomography, was found to have chronic pancreatitis without malignant disease. This case demonstrates that a markedly elevated serum level of CA 19-9 can occur in nonmalignant pancreatic disease and emphasizes the need for a histologic diagnosis of malignancy even if the clinical diagnosis of pancreatic cancer seems certain.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver.
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Scudamore
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Erb
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Owen
authors.forename: H K
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Silver
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018395:CA-19-9 Antigen / Q000097:blood*; D002779:Cholestasis / Q000209:etiology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications
chemical_list: D018395:CA-19-9 Antigen