Markedly Elevated Serum CA 19-9 Levels in PSC.

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Markedly Elevated Serum CA 19-9 Levels in Association With a Benign

Biliary Stricture Due to Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis.

Liver,

Pancreas, and Biliary Tract

Journal

of Clinical Gastroenterology. 41(1):115-117, January

2007.

Murray, Mark D. MD; Burton, R. MD; Di

Bisceglie, M. MD

Abstract:

We report on the case of a 55-year-old man with long-standing ulcerative

colitis who developed jaundice. This led to a

diagnosis of primary sclerosing cholangitis

being made, with a dominant stricture in the common bile duct.

Serum CA

19-9 was initially markedly raised at 26,321 U/mL but

fell promptly into the normal range after stenting of

the stricture. Long-term follow up of this patient has

failed to show evidence of cholangiocarcinoma. We

conclude that serum CA 19-9 levels need to be assessed in the clinical context

of biliary obstruction and should ideally be measured after relief of that

obstruction, as it may be falsely elevated due to benign biliary strictures. © 2007 Lippincott

& Wilkins, Inc.