CA 19.9 Test Price, Purpose, Range and Results [2024]
CA 19.9 test helps diagnose pancreatic cancer. CA 19.9 test is also known as Carbohydrate antigen 19.9 or cancer antigen 19-9. It is a tumour marker found in the blood. CA 19.9 test price usually ranges from Rs. 800 to Rs 1200, and an in-home collection is also available.
Tumour markers are substances produced by the body in response to cancer. They may also be produced by cancer cells and released in the blood or urine. CA 19.9 levels are found to be elevated in pancreatic cancer and many other benign (non-cancerous) and malignant (cancerous) conditions. Examples of different tumour markers are CA 125, CA 15.3, etc.
Some symptoms that may be indicative of pancreatic cancer are-
- Loss of appetite
- Digestion issues – nausea, vomiting, abnormal stools
- Sudden weight loss
- Pain in the upper abdomen or back
- Jaundice (yellowing of skin and sclera, i.e. the white part of the eye)
Test Details in Brief
| Also known as | Carbohydrate Antigen test, Pancreatic cancer marker test, CA19.9 serum test, CA 19-9 test |
| Purpose | For diagnosis and treatment monitoring of Pancreatic cancer |
| Preparation | Fasting is not needed. No special preparation |
| Cost | Rs 700- Rs 1200 |
| Reporting time | 8-24 Hours |
CA 19.9 Test Price
CA 19.9 Test Price usually ranges from Rs 700 to Rs 1200. The actual price depends on the diagnostic center and the city. Bookmerilab partners with more than 200 diagnostic centres across India. We provide a 10-50% discount on medical diagnostic tests.
Price at Popular Diagnostic Centres
| Name of Lab | Test Price |
|---|---|
| Dr Lal Path labs | Rs 1350 |
| Thyrocare | Rs 750 |
| Metropolis Healthcare | Rs 1420 ( City-based ) |
| SRL Diagnostics | Rs 1600 |
| Redcliffe Lab | Rs 1485 |
| Vijaya Diagnostics | Rs 1200 |
Cost in different cities
The CA 19.9 test cost depends on the city as tier 2 cities may have lower prices than tier 1 cities. The table below list the prices for some major cities
| City | Test Price |
|---|---|
| CA 19.9 price in Delhi | Rs 700 to Rs 1900 |
| Mumbai | Rs 720 to Rs 1485 |
| CA 19.9 price in Bangalore | Rs 720 to Rs 1900 |
| Hyderabad | Rs 700 to Rs 1890 |
| Gurgaon | Rs 750 to Rs 1485 |
| CA 19.9 price in Chennai | Rs 720 to Rs 1485 |
| Kolkata | Rs 1000 to Rs 1350 |
CA 19.9 Test Purpose
CA 19.9 test may be advised to a person depending on their risks for certain cancers and symptoms. It is helpful for
- Diagnosis of pancreatic cancer– In patients exhibiting symptoms of pancreatic cancer or the ones with increased risk due to a family history of pancreatic cancer.
- Prognosis of treatment – It helps evaluate how well a treatment is working. Its levels are measured in the beginning and subsequently monitored during the entire course of treatment.
- Detection of relapse in patients having a previous history of the disease. Like any other cancer, early diagnosis of the disease is crucial for better chances of recovery.
Preparation
No special preparation is needed. You may drink and eat normally before the test. Do inform your doctor if you are taking any medicines, both prescription and non-prescription, ayurvedic, etc.
Procedure
It is a relatively simple diagnostic blood test. A blood sample is taken from the vein in your arm or hand by the following steps-
- A technician (phlebotomist) may tie a tourniquet (elastic band) to your arm.
- The phlebotomist will locate your blood vessel.
- The site is cleaned with spirit.
- A Needle is inserted into your vein to draw the blood.
- The blood sample is then withdrawn into a syringe or a vial.
- Cotton is placed on the puncture site with mild pressure till the bleeding stops.
- A small band-aid is placed, which may be removed after an hour.
The entire procedure takes only a few minutes.
Risks
CA 19.9 is a very simple and safe blood test. The risks involved are the same as that in any other blood test. These include-
- Infection at the puncture site if proper sterilization protocol is not followed and the needle is contaminated. This is, however, very rare. You may ensure that your phlebotomist takes out the needle in front of you from a sterile pack.
- Multiple pricks if the blood vessel is not easily found
- Excessive bleeding at the puncture site- Please inform your healthcare provider if you are taking blood thinners or have any bleeding disorders.
- Light-headedness due to stress or heavy bleeding.
Minor pain and bruising that might occur will resolve on their own in a very short time.
CA 19.9 Test Results and Interpretation
The CA 19.9 test results should not be used as a sole interpreter of cancerous conditions. It should be used with findings from clinical evaluation and other diagnostic procedures. Normal Range and Value
Values less than 37 Units per millilitre (U/mL) are considered normal. Slight variation may be present among different laboratories.
| Parameter | Normal range | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| CA 19.9 | <37 | Units/mL |
NOTE
The percentage positivity rate of CA 19.9 for a disease refers to the percentage of people suffering from the disease that show higher CA 19.9 levels. For example – Out of 100 pancreatic cancer patients, 80 will have an elevated serum 19-9 level. The other 20 will have normal CA 19.9 levels.
Similar information for other diseases is mentioned in the table below-
| Disease | Percentage Positivity Rate of CA 19-9 |
|---|---|
| Pancreatic Cancer | 80 |
| Hepatobiliary Cancer | 67 |
| Gastric Cancer | 40-50 |
| Hepatocellular Cancer | 30-50 |
| Colorectal Cancer | 30 |
| Breast Cancer | 15 |
| Pancreatitis | 10-20 |
| Benign Gastrointestinal disease | 10-20 |
Higher Than Normal Range
A higher value of CA 19.9 may indicate the following
- It is most often associated with pancreatic cancer
- It may also increase in cancer of
- Liver
- Gall bladder
- Lung
- Bile duct
- Colon
- Stomach
- Infection of the pancreas or pancreatitis
- Infection of gall bladder
- Gallstones (calcifications or stones in the gall bladder)
- Liver Cirrhosis (Scarring or fibrosis of the liver leading to its failure)
- A genetic disease called cystic fibrosis that damages the lungs, digestive system, and other organs of the body
- Peptic ulcers (ulcers in the inner lining of the food pipe, stomach, or small intestines)
The values during the treatment can vary wherein –
- Increasing CA 19-9 values may indicate a growing tumour or ineffectiveness of treatment
- Decreasing CA 19-9 values may indicate a shrinking tumour or that the treatment is working
- No change in the levels may indicate that the disease is stable
- Increased levels post-treatment may indicate a Relapse of cancer
CA 19.9 Test Sample Report
Below is the sample report with all the conditions of reporting. It also depict the normal range and what abnormal range mean and its specificity.
Limitations
An increased level does not necessarily indicate cancer, which may be raised in many other benign or non-cancerous conditions. Hence it is not used as a screening test for cancer.
The test does not help assess the response to radiation therapy as the dying cancer cells release CA 19-9. Hence a raised level in radiation therapy may not necessarily mean a poor response to therapy.
Conclusion
Despite its limitations, CA 19-9 is widely used as the only pancreatic cancer marker. It has a relatively high sensitivity and specificity rate for pancreatic and biliary duct tumours compared to other markers. A 100% sensitivity rate means the test does not exclude any diseased person. That is, all the people with the disease will have a positive test. There will not be any false negative case. A 100% specificity rate means the test will not include any non-diseased person. That is, the test is specific to a particular disease and will not include any person having a different disease. There will not be any false positive case.
In case you are getting the test done regularly for monitoring your treatment, it is best to get it done from the same laboratory for a better comparison of values.
Your doctor is the best person to help you understand the CA 19.9 test results. She/he will be able to correlate clinically. Hence you should not come to any conclusions unless you have taken an opinion from an expert.
We wish you the best of health!
FAQs
A level greater than 37Units/mL may indicate cancer of the pancreas, liver, gallbladder, lung, colon, or stomach.
A higher value of CA 19-9 may indicate the following
-Pancreatic cancer
-Cancer of the Liver, Gall bladder, Lung, Bile duct, Colon, Stomach
-Infection of the pancreas or pancreatitis
-Infection of gall bladder
-Gallstones (calcifications or stones in the gall bladder)
-Liver Cirrhosis (Scarring or fibrosis of the liver leading to its failure)
-A genetic disease called cystic fibrosis that damages the lungs, digestive system, and other organs of the body
-Peptic ulcers (ulcers in the inner lining of the food pipe, stomach, or small intestines)
An increased level does not necessarily indicate cancer, which may be raised in many other benign or non-cancerous conditions. Hence it is not used as a screening test for cancer.CA 19-9 level has a sensitivity of 79–81% and a specificity of 82–90% for diagnosing pancreatic cancer in symptomatic patients.
Sources
CA 19-9 – Health Encyclopedia – University of Rochester Medical Center
How to book CA 19.9 Test?
Dr Garima Saroj
Dr Garima Saroj is a dentist from Manipal college of dental sciences. She has previously worked at ESIC dental college and hospital Delhi and Dentecare multispecialty dental clinic Gurugram. She has a passion for writing for patient education and awareness.