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HelpEpic Test Code LAB777 Carbohydrate Antigen 19-9 (CA 19-9), Serum
Additional Codes
MML Code: CA19
NY State Approved
YesPerforming Laboratory
Mayo Clinic Laboratories in Rochester
Reporting Name
Carbohydrate Ag 19-9, SMethod Name
Immunoenzymatic Assay
Specimen Stability Information
| Specimen Type | Temperature | Time | Special Container |
|---|---|---|---|
| Serum | Refrigerated (preferred) | 7 days | |
| Frozen | 90 days | ||
| Ambient | 8 hours |
Specimen Required
Patient Preparation: For 12 hours before specimen collection, patient should not take multivitamins or dietary supplements (eg, hair, skin, and nail supplements) containing biotin (vitamin B7).
Collection Container/Tube:
Preferred: Serum gel
Acceptable: Red top
Submission Container/Tube: Plastic vial
Specimen Volume: 0.6 mL
Collection Instructions:
1. Within 2 hours of collection, serum gel tubes should be centrifuged.
2. Within 2 hours of collection, red-top tubes should be centrifuged, and the serum aliquoted into a plastic vial.
Blood Tube Draw Volume
Min 50% draw volume
Specimen Type
SerumSpecimen Minimum Volume
0.5 mL
Reference Values
<35 U/mL
Report Available
1 to 3 daysDay(s) Performed
Monday through Saturday
CPT Code Information
86301
Reject Due To
| Gross hemolysis | Reject |
| Gross lipemia | OK |
| Gross Icterus | OK |
Useful For
As a potential adjunct for diagnosis and monitoring of pancreatic cancer
Potentially differentiating patients with cholangiocarcinoma and primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) from those with PSC alone
Clinical Information
Carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA 19-9) is a modified Lewis(a) blood group antigen. CA 19-9 may be elevated in patients with gastrointestinal malignancies such as cholangiocarcinoma, pancreatic cancer, or colon cancer.
Benign conditions, such as cirrhosis, cholestasis, and pancreatitis, also result in elevated serum CA 19-9 concentrations, but in these cases, values are usually below 1000 U/mL.
Individuals that are Lewis antigen negative (5%-7% of the population) do not express CA 19-9 due to the lack of the enzyme fucosyltransferase needed for CA 19-9 production. In these individuals, a low or undetectable serum CA 19-9 concentration is not informative regarding cancer recurrence.
Interpretation
Serial monitoring of carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA 19-9) should begin prior to therapy to verify post therapy decreases in CA 19-9 and to establish a baseline for evaluating possible recurrence. Single values of CA 19-9 are less informative.
Elevated values may be caused by a variety of malignant and nonmalignant conditions including cholangiocarcinoma, pancreatic cancer, and colon cancer.
Cautions
Carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA 19-9) is neither specific nor sensitive enough to be used as a cancer screen.
Some individuals do not express CA 19-9. Consequently, low values in these individuals are not informative regarding cancer recurrence.
Serum CA 19-9 levels should not be interpreted as absolute evidence of the presence or absence of malignant disease. Instead, serum CA 19-9 results should be used in conjunction with information from the clinical evaluation of the patient and other diagnostic procedures.
Some patients who have been exposed to animal antigens, either in the environment or as part of treatment or imaging procedures, may have circulating anti-animal antibodies present. These antibodies may interfere with the assay reagents and produce unreliable results.
Specimen Retention Time
14 daysForms
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