Editorial
Tumor Markers: An Important Adjunct to Clinical Practice
Abstract
The authors of the article, “Elevated CA 19-9 Levels in a Patient with Mirizzi Syndrome: Case Report”1 provide a unique scenario in which a person presents with an elevated serum carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA 19-9). The initial workup involved looking for typical causes such as biliary and ampullary carcinoma, but ultimately revealed a case of Mirizzi syndrome. While this is not the first report,2,3 this case reminds us that often in medicine one needs to think outside of the box. Occasionally, we forget that diagnoses do not always have to be defined by lab tests, and this case report shows us that although they are helpful, tumor markers are not always accurate. Also, it highlights the potential benefit of newer imaging modalities.This content is limited to qualifying members.
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