Extraordinarily high serum CA 19-9 in setting of pancreatic necrosis and underlying pancreatic adenocarcinoma: a case report

Carbohydrate antigen (CA 19-9) is the most validated marker for both sensitivity and specificity of pancreatic adenocarcinoma used to aid diagnosis of symptomatic patients as well as to evaluate the progression or treatment of disease. Though higher levels of CA 19-9 tend to correlate with neoplastic disease, elevated levels are also often seen in patients with benign gastrointestinal diseases, such as obstructive jaundice and pancreatitis. We present a case of a 74-year-old male who was admitted for abdominal pain and worsening jaundice who was diagnosed with extensive pancreatic necrosis and an underlying invasive pancreatic adenocarcinoma whose serum level of CA 19-9 was found to be extraordinarily high.