Alert

Effective Jan. 5, 2026: Temporary Age-Based Visitor Restrictions at UNC Health for all inpatient and waiting areas throughout its inpatient hospitals.

Read More

CA 19-9, Carbohydrate Ag 19-9

Cancer Antigen GI

Tube Type = Gold Top

Tube Type

Test ID LAB777
EPIC Order CANCER ANTIGEN 19-9
CPT Code(s) 86301
Group/Individual Test Individual
Laboratory Core Laboratory
Tube Station 30
Specimen Routine: 4 mL blood/gold SST tube/red plain tube also acceptable
Micro: 0.9 mL blood/gold or red top tube
Stability

Unspun:

8 hours

Spun/Separated:

Room Temperature: 8 hours
Refrigerator: 2 days
Frozen: 1 month
Availability 24 hrs/daily
Turnaround Time Routine: 2 hours; STAT: 90 minutes
Reference Range Normal: ≤35 U/mL
Comments

Calibration Adjustment 12/23/2022 - See Memo #193

Tumor marker assays cannot be used interchangeably; this test is performed using the Siemens Atellica CA19-9 Immunoassay effective 7/13/21. See Memo #172

Heterophilic antibodies may cause interference.

Note: Patients genotypically negative for the Lewis blood group antigen will be unable to produce the CA 19-9 antigen even in the presence of malignant tissue.

Reviewed by J. Carr on January 05, 2026

UNC Hospitals
McLendon Clinical Laboratories
101 Manning Drive
Chapel Hill, NC 27514