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CA 19-9 Test
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Common Questions
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1. Why is my doctor not screening me for CA 19-9?
2. What other procedures will my doctor request along with my CA 19-9?
3. What are the main risk factors for pancreatic cancer?
1. Why is my doctor not screening me for CA 19-9?
CA 19-9 is not recommended as a screening test for people who do not have symptoms of pancreatic cancer because there are many other conditions that can cause CA 19-9 to rise. Researchers are searching for other markers that may help detect pancreatic cancer at an earlier stage and that may be more suitable for screening.
2. What other procedures will my doctor request along with my CA 19-9?
Your doctor may order a CT scan (computed tomography), an ultrasound, an ERCP (endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, a procedure in which a small lighted tube is passed through the mouth and stomach into the small intestine), and/or a biopsy to look for cancer cells under the microscope.
3. What are the main risk factors for pancreatic cancer?
Doctors still do not know what causes most cases of pancreatic cancer. Identified risk factors include smoking, age (most are over 50 years old), gender (males are more likely to have it than females), family history, diabetes, chronic pancreatitis, and heavy occupational exposure to certain chemicals and dyes.
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This page was last modified on
May 3, 2004.
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