Based on the provided reference, the life expectancy (median survival) associated with different CA 19-9 levels is as follows:
- For patients with CA 19-9 levels ≥ 180, the median survival was 9 months.
- For patients with CA 19-9 levels lower than 180, the median survival was 21 months.
CA 19-9 is a tumor marker that can be elevated in certain conditions, particularly cancers of the digestive system like pancreatic cancer, bile duct cancer, and colorectal cancer. While an elevated CA 19-9 level does not diagnose cancer on its own, its level is often used in conjunction with other tests and imaging to help monitor the progression of the disease and assess the effectiveness of treatment.
The provided reference studied patients and found a significant difference in survival times based on their CA 19-9 levels. Survival time in medical studies is often reported as median survival, which is the length of time lived by 50% of the patients in a study group. It serves as a key indicator of prognosis.
Median Survival Times Based on CA 19-9
The study highlighted a clear correlation between higher CA 19-9 levels and shorter survival. The findings are summarized below:
| CA 19-9 Level | Median Survival |
|---|---|
| ≥ 180 | 9 months |
| Lower than 180 | 21 months |
The reference states that this difference was statistically significant (P < 0.0001), indicating that the observed difference in survival is very unlikely to be due to random chance. At the last follow-up point in the study, all patients with a CA 19-9 level of 180 or higher had died, whereas 74% of patients with a level lower than 180 had died (162 out of 220).
Understanding the Data
This data suggests that higher levels of CA 19-9 are associated with a poorer prognosis in the patient population studied. It's important to remember that CA 19-9 levels are just one factor among many that influence a person's life expectancy, including the specific type and stage of the underlying disease, overall health, and response to treatment. However, in this study, the CA 19-9 level provided a significant indicator of potential survival time.
