title: The reliability of highly elevated CA 19-9 levels.
abstract: CA 19-9 is used as a tumour marker of the upper gastrointestinal tract. However, extremely elevated CA 19-9 levels are found also in patients with benign diseases. Cholestasis was present in 97.1% of patients with high elevated CA 19-9, independent of their primary disease. 50% of patients with non-malignant diseases and increased CA 19-9 levels showed liver cirrhosis, cholecystitis, pancreatitis and/or hepatitis. In 8.8% no explanation was found for the extremely high CA 19-9 level. The results provide evidence of different factors influencing the CA 19-9 level.
authors.affiliation: Salem Medical Center, Dept. of Medicine, Heidelberg, F.R.G.
authors.forename: B R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Osswald
authors.forename: F E
authors.initials: FE
authors.lastname: Klee
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wysocki
mesh_terms: D015295:Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate / Q000097:blood*; D001663:Bilirubin / Q000097:blood; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D002764:Cholecystitis / Q000276:immunology; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D006505:Hepatitis / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000276:immunology; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000276:immunology; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology; D012016:Reference Values; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D015295:Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D001663:Bilirubin