Is Cancer Antigen Level Of 19.9 A Cause For Concern?

Posted on Thu, 10 Aug 2017

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Wed, 9 Aug 2017 Answered on

Thu, 31 Aug 2017 Last reviewed on

Question : Dr XXXXXXX i was asking about my CA Antigen 19-9. My last reading before my chemo treatments was 35, up from 18.3 in XXXXXXX and 16.3 in May. My reading after my first chemo was 25 and after my second treatment was 18. As you are aware I have pancreatic cancer and my current treatment is Folfiranox. You indicated the rise in my CA Antigen was probably because the cancer was slowly increasing. What do these readings mean.

Answered by Dr. Deepak Sundriyal (-3 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Hello dear. Tumor is responding to treatment

Detailed Answer:
Hello dear. I have gone through the details. I am very well aware of you.

Thank you for showing the trust. So the most likely explanation for this trend is that the tumor is responding and shrinking with treatment.

However, the response has to be documented by imaging also, as the values of CA 19.9 are small.

Thanks and regards
Feel free to ask further.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Arnab Banerjee