Ca19. 9 test the norm for primary peritoneal cancer

[Jayniiee]

Hi everyone, thank you for all your wonderful inspiring and helpful posts.. I just thought i would share my good news while i also hope to pick your brains 😊ive been told my ca125 has gone from 264 before the first chemo to 20 after it, which sounds very promising and very happy with that news. I had my third blood test Wednesday and noticed that they also requested a ca19. 9 test im addition to the ca125. I've no idea if they've been asking for it all along, because i only looked at the blood test form properly for the first time on Wednesday. Does anyone know if they always run this test for primary peritoneal cancer.. I have stage 3c ppc in peritoneum, oomentum and pelvis and possibly in lymph nodes but I've no surgery yet so they can't confirm yet whether lymph are just enlarged or cancerous.. It's scared me a bit cos i looked up the ca19. 9 and it's to do with pancreatic cancer markers and they've not told me it's in the pancreas too...

[Tillymint61]

Hi Jaynilee . I have S4 PPC and remember having this blood test pre surgery and more recently when symptoms and routine CA125 markers were suggesting recurrence. Doesn't necessarily mean they think there is anything wrong with pancreas. Might be worth a call to your team to ask why it's been included st this stage. X

[Jayniiee in reply to Tillymint61]

Thank you Tilly, i feel more reassured now. I'll ask at my next onc appt. I always forget to ask him something...his calls go so quick! I'll pin him down next time tho 😊 hope you are well xx

[SopSinger]

Some oncologists like to use CA19-9 levels for ovarian cancer patients. It is (like the CA125) non-specific, but can be a general indicator for cancer, requiring further investigation. It appears to be associated with mucinous cell types, so if your cancer is mucinous, it may help to identify progression with that. It's an additional marker, one more tool in the box, but doesn't necessarily suggest any spread or other organ involvement, more likely they want to establish a baseline for you. But definitely ask your doctor why it's been included and what they expect it to show.

[Jayniiee in reply to SopSinger]

Hi sop singer, thanks for your messageMucinous has not been mentioned, only metastatic poorly differentiated serous carcinoma with a diagnosis of primary peritoneal cancer... I will ask at my next onc appointment xx

[Mund2121]

I had a borderline mutinous ovarian tumour , my tumour marker blood tests always include CA19-9.

[Jayniiee]

Thanks for your message. I will ask x