Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Cholangiocarcinoma laboratory tests
Introduction
Overview
Overview
Laboratory tests for cholangiocarcinoma include aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT), prothrombin time, albumin and total protein, bilirubin, L-Lactate dehydrogenase and alkaline phosphatase.
Laboratory Findings
Laboratory Findings
- Laboratory findings consistent with the diagnosis of cholangiocarcinoma include:
Liver function tests
- Patients with cholangiocarcinoma have elevated concentration of following tests, which is usually suggestive of cholestatic pattern:[1][2]
- Prothrombin time
- Albumin and total protein
- Bilirubin
- L-Lactate dehydrogenase
- Alkaline phosphatase
- Gamma glutamyl transferase
- Alpha-fetoprotein
- Transaminase levels (aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alanine aminotransferase (ALT)) may initially be normal among patients with cholangiocarcinoma.
Carcinoembryonic antigen
- Serum levels of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) are often elevated, but not sensitive or specific enough to be used as a screening test.
- It may be useful in association with imaging findings for suspected diagnosis of cholangiocarcinoma.[3][4]
Carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA 19-9)
- CA 19-9 is a protein released by cancers of the pancreas and bile ducts.[5]
- An elevated concentration of CA 19-9 is suggestive of pancreatic cancer and cholangiocarcinoma.
- CA 19-9 levels are not specific enough to be used as a screening test.[6]
- It can be used as a tumor marker to determine response to chemotherapy.
References
References
- ↑ Van Beers BE (2008). “Diagnosis of cholangiocarcinoma”. HPB (Oxford). 10 (2): 87–93. doi:10.1080/13651820801992716. PMC 2504383. PMID 18773062.
- ↑ Patel T (2011). “Cholangiocarcinoma–controversies and challenges”. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol. 8 (4): 189–200. doi:10.1038/nrgastro.2011.20. PMC 3888819. PMID 21460876.
- ↑ Studies of the performance of serum markers for cholangiocarcinoma (such as carcinoembryonic antigen and CA19-9) in patients with and without primary sclerosing cholangitis include the following:
- Nehls O, Gregor M, Klump B (2004). “Serum and bile markers for cholangiocarcinoma”. Semin Liver Dis. 24 (2): 139–54. PMID 15192787.
- Siqueira E, Schoen R, Silverman W, Martin J, Rabinovitz M, Weissfeld J, Abu-Elmaagd K, Madariaga J, Slivka A, Martini J (2002). “Detecting cholangiocarcinoma in patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis”. Gastrointest Endosc. 56 (1): 40–7. PMID 12085033.
- Levy C, Lymp J, Angulo P, Gores G, Larusso N, Lindor K (2005). “The value of serum CA 19-9 in predicting cholangiocarcinomas in patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis”. Dig Dis Sci. 50 (9): 1734–40. PMID 16133981.
- Patel A, Harnois D, Klee G, LaRusso N, Gores G (2000). “The utility of CA 19-9 in the diagnoses of cholangiocarcinoma in patients without primary sclerosing cholangitis”. Am J Gastroenterol. 95 (1): 204–7. PMID 10638584.
- ↑ Chen CY, Shiesh SC, Tsao HC, Lin XZ (2002). “The assessment of biliary CA 125, CA 19-9 and CEA in diagnosing cholangiocarcinoma–the influence of sampling time and hepatolithiasis”. Hepatogastroenterology. 49 (45): 616–20. PMID 12063953.
- ↑ Jang JY, Kim SW, Park DJ, Ahn YJ, Yoon YS, Choi MG, Suh KS, Lee KU, Park YH (2005). “Actual long-term outcome of extrahepatic bile duct cancer after surgical resection”. Ann. Surg. 241 (1): 77–84. PMC 1356849. PMID 15621994.
- ↑ Qin XL, Wang ZR, Shi JS, Lu M, Wang L, He QR (2004). “Utility of serum CA19-9 in diagnosis of cholangiocarcinoma: in comparison with CEA”. World J. Gastroenterol. 10 (3): 427–32. PMC 4724921. PMID 14760772.
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Farima Kahe M.D. [2] [3] [4], Suveenkrishna Pothuru, M.B,B.S. [5]