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Test Code C199 CA 19-9

Important Note

This test may be affected by biotin interference. Patients on high dose biotin (5mg/day or more) should not have samples drawn until at least 24 hours after the last biotin administration.

Specimen and Container/Tube

Specimen Type: Plasma

Preferred Specimen: Li-Heparin Mint Green Top

Other Acceptable specimens: Serum/Gold Top, Serum/Red Top

Specimen Handling and Transport Instructions

UCMC Onsite Instructions: 

  • Collect specimen per standard collection procedure and send to laboratory immediately. 

 

UCMC Offsite and UC MedLab Outreach Instructions: 

  • Samples should be centrifuged within 2 hours of collection.
  • Centrifuge specimens at >2500 x g for 10 minutes at room temperature.
  • Aliquot sample into plastic transport tube containing a minimum of 0.2 mL of specimen.
  • Samples must be sent room temperature at 15-25oC.

Rejection Criteria

  • Common specimen rejected situations include: incorrect specimen type, insufficient volume, missing or incomplete specimen identifiers, incorrect specimen transport, or specimens outside stability limits. 
  • Specimens that are clotted or grossly hemolyzed.
  • Specimens that were transported unspun/whole blood and draw time is greater than 6 hours

Reference Values

Test

Age

Sex

Reference Range

CA 19-9

All

All

<37 U/mL

Critical Values

Analyte

Unit

Low

High

Age

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

CPT Codes

86301

LOINC Codes

24108-3

Volume

Preferred Volume: 0.5 mL

Minimum Volume: 0.2 mL

Specimen Stability

Storage Temperature

Stability

Room Temperature

5 days

Refrigerated

14 days

Frozen

3 months

Collection Instructions

Collect specimen per standard laboratory collection procedures. 

 

Test Components

Cancer Antigen 19-9

Clinical Indications

Immunoassay for the in vitro quantitative determination of CA 19-9 tumor associated antigen, in human serum and plasma. The assay is indicated for the serial measurement of CA 19-9 to aid in the management of patients diagnosed with cancers of the exocrine pancreas. The test is useful as an aid in the monitoring of disease status in those patients having confirmed pancreatic cancer who have levels of CA 19-9 at some point in their disease process exceeding the median concentration determined for the apparently healthy cohort.

Methodology

Electrochemiluminescence immunoassay (ECLIA) (Roche Diagnostics)

Additional Information

  • Results should always be assessed in conjunction with patient's medical history, clinical examination and other findings.
  • The measured tumor marker value of a patient's sample can vary depending on the testing procedure and method used. Tumor marker values determined on patient samples by different testing procedures or methodologies cannot be directly compared with one another and could be the cause of erroneous medical interpretations.
  • Patients known to be genotypically negative for Lewis blood group antigens will be unable to produce the CA 19-9 antigen even in the presence of malignant tissue. Phenotyping for the presence of the Lewis blood group antigen may be insufficient to detect true Lewis antigen negative individuals. Even patients who are genotype positive for the Lewis antigen may produce varying levels of CA 19-9 as the result of gene dosage effect.

Turnaround Time

Turnaround times are relative to the time the specimen is received in the test laboratory. 

 

STAT Turnaround Time: Not available as STAT test

Routine Turnaround Time: up to 4 hours

Testing Schedule:  24/7

Synonyms/Keyword Search

Cancer Antigen 19-9, Carbohydrate Antigen 19-9, GI Cancer Antigen

Last Review Date

8/19/2024

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