A case of elevated carbohydrate antigen 19-9 with a benign cause

Serum carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA 19-9), a marker of malignant tumors, is generally slightly elevated in benign conditions. We report a case of cholecystitis with perforated gall bladder with significantly elevated level of serum CA 19-9 based on abdomen computed tomography and intra operative findings. A 70 years diabetic and hypertensive female presented with right hypochondriac pain associated with occasional itching and nausea without vomiting with markedly raised CA 19-9 (1554 U/ml) with CECT abdomen suggestive of perforated gall bladder with cholecystitis. Patient electively operated for open cholecystectomy and per operative findings were distended gall bladder with multiple calculi within with edematous gall bladder wall and adhesions between gall bladder and omentum and colon. Gall bladder removed and biopsy suggestive of chronic calculus cholecystitis. On post-operative day 5th and 7th CA 19-9 was repeated twice and drastic fall to 5 U/ml and 12 U/ml respectively. Chronic calculus cholecystitis with high elevation of CA 19-9 is rare.