CA19-9 (121SLE), MMab

Summary and Explanation

CA19-9 (carbohydrate antigen 19-9 or sialylated Lewis (a) antigen) is a blood test from the tumor marker category. It was discovered in patients with Colon Cancer and Pancreatic Cancer in 1981. Increased levels of CA 19-9 are also found in non-malignant conditions, such as Mirizzi’s Syndrome and diseases of the bile duct and liver. The main use of CA 19-9 antibody is to determine whether a pancreatic tumor is secreting it; if that is the case, then the levels should fall when the tumor is treated, and they may rise again if the disease recurs.

CA 19-9 antigen is highly expressed in Gastrointestinal (gastric, pancreatic, and colonic) Adenocarcinomas and salivary gland Mucoepidermoid Carcinomas. CA 19-9 antibodyis usually not reactive with breast, kidney, and prostate Carcinomas, but is reactive with sialylated Lea-active pentasaccharide (sialylated lacto-N-fucopentaose II), which is enzymatically synthesized by sialylation of Type 1 carbohydrate chains.