Delayed radiation-induced inflammation accompanying a marked carbohydrate antigen 19-9 elevation in a patient with resected pancreatic cancer.
- Author:
Malcolm D MATTES
1
;
Jon S CARDINAL
;
Geraldine M JACOBSON
Author Information
- Publication Type:Case Report
- Keywords: Pancreatic cancer; Biologic tumor marker; Radiation therapy; Radiation recall reaction; CA 19-9 antigen
- MeSH: Adrenal Cortex Hormones; Biomarkers, Tumor; CA-19-9 Antigen; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; Humans; Inflammation*; Pancreatic Neoplasms*; Radiodermatitis
- From:Radiation Oncology Journal 2016;34(2):156-159
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
- Abstract: Although carbohydrate antigen (CA) 19-9 is a useful tumor marker for pancreatic cancer, it can also become elevated from a variety of benign and malignant conditions. Herein we describe an unusual presentation of elevated CA 19-9 in an asymptomatic patient who had previously undergone adjuvant chemotherapy and radiation therapy for resected early stage pancreatic cancer. The rise in CA 19-9 might be due to delayed radiation-induced inflammation related to previous intra-abdominal radiation therapy with or without radiation recall induced by gemcitabine. After treatment with corticosteroids the CA 19-9 level decreased to normal, and the patient has not developed any evidence of recurrent cancer to date.
