--- title: CA 19-9 (Pancreatic Cancer Marker) Test type: test id: ca-19-9 url: "https://www.test-well.com/tests/ca-19-9-test" price_usd: 28.99 lab_fee_usd: 6 all_in_usd: 34.99 cpt: 86301 category: Cancer Screening sample: Blood draw fasting_required: false results_in: "2–5 business days" labs: - Labcorp orderable: true reviewed_at: 2026-09-14 order_url: "https://www.test-well.com/cart?add=ca-19-9-test&utm_source=ai_agent&utm_medium=markdown" --- # CA 19-9 (Pancreatic Cancer Marker) Test > A tumor marker used to monitor pancreatic and gastrointestinal cancers, measured from a standard blood draw. At TestWell it costs $28.99 plus a $6 lab fee, needs no fasting, and results post in 2–5 business days. Physician-authorized with no doctor's visit or insurance needed; draw at Labcorp. ## Key facts | Fact | Value | | --- | --- | | Price | $28.99 + $6 lab processing fee per order ($34.99 all-in for this test alone) | | CPT code | 86301 | | Sample | Blood draw | | Fasting | Not required | | Results | 2–5 business days | | Labs | Labcorp | | Biomarkers measured | 1 | | Physician authorization | Included — no doctor's visit, referral or insurance needed | | Payment | Card, HSA or FSA; cash-pay only (no insurance billing) | ## What does the CA 19-9 (Pancreatic Cancer Marker) test tell you? A tumor marker used to monitor pancreatic and gastrointestinal cancers. CA 19-9 is a carbohydrate antigen found on the surface of cancer cells, primarily used to monitor pancreatic cancer treatment response and detect recurrence. It can also be elevated in bile duct, stomach, and colorectal cancers. Benign conditions like pancreatitis, gallstones, cirrhosis, and bile duct obstruction can also raise CA 19-9 levels. About 5–10% of the population cannot produce CA 19-9 due to Lewis antigen blood type status. **Clinical use:** CA 19-9 (carbohydrate antigen 19-9) is a tumor marker used mainly to follow known pancreatic and biliary cancers — tracking response to treatment and watching for recurrence — and to help evaluate a pancreatic mass alongside imaging. It is not a screening test for healthy people. ## Who should order it? People with a diagnosed pancreatic, bile-duct or gallbladder cancer whose clinician tracks CA 19-9 between visits, people with a pancreatic cyst or mass under evaluation, and those with a strong family history who have been advised to monitor it. Anyone with new symptoms (jaundice, unexplained weight loss, upper abdominal pain radiating to the back) should see a clinician rather than rely on this test alone. ## Biomarkers measured - [CA 19-9](https://www.test-well.com/biomarkers/ca-19-9) ## Price by lab | Lab | Test price | All-in (with $6 fee) | Notes | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Labcorp | $28.99 | $34.99 | Choose at checkout; walk-in patient service centers nationwide (not NY/NJ) | Rhode Island is not served. Prices are identical online and in the lab; no draw fee or physician fee is added. ## How much does a CA 19-9 (Pancreatic Cancer Marker) test cost? A CA 19-9 (Pancreatic Cancer Marker) test costs $28.99 at TestWell — $34.99 all-in when ordered alone, because the $6 lab processing fee is charged once per order, with no draw fee or physician fee added. Hospital outpatient labs typically bill around $225.00 self-pay for the same test, and often more. With insurance, what you pay depends on your deductible and your plan's negotiated rate; TestWell's price is fixed before the draw and is HSA/FSA-eligible. | Where you order | Price | One test, all-in | Notes | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | TestWell (drawn at Quest or Labcorp) | $28.99 | $34.99 | Includes the one $6 lab processing fee, charged once per order | | Hospital outpatient lab, self-pay (typical) | $225.00 | $225.00 | Reference figure; hospital charges vary widely by facility and are often higher | Lab test codes: Quest test code 4698 · Labcorp test no. 002261. ## How do you prepare? No fasting required. ## Related conditions - Pancreatic cancer monitoring (C25.9) - Bile duct (cholangiocarcinoma) monitoring (C22.1) - Pancreatic cyst or mass evaluation (K86.2) - Family history of digestive cancer (Z80.0) ## Common questions about the CA 19-9 (Pancreatic Cancer Marker) test ### What causes an elevated CA 19-9? Pancreatic cancer is the best-known cause — CA 19-9 is raised in roughly 70–80% of cases — and it also rises with bile-duct, gallbladder, stomach, colorectal and some ovarian cancers. But many benign conditions push it above the usual cutoff of about 35–37 U/mL: any blockage of bile flow (gallstones, a stricture, cholestasis from medication), acute or chronic pancreatitis, cholangitis, cirrhosis and hepatitis, cystic fibrosis, poorly controlled diabetes, hypothyroidism and interstitial lung disease. Mild elevations (under about 100 U/mL) are more often benign than malignant; very high values (in the thousands) are rarely benign. Because bile obstruction alone can raise it, clinicians repeat the test once liver tests have normalized before drawing conclusions. ### Can CA 19-9 be normal if someone has pancreatic cancer? Yes. About 5–10% of people are Lewis antigen–negative and cannot make CA 19-9 at all, so their result stays low regardless of disease, and small early tumors often produce little of it. That is why CA 19-9 is not used to screen people without symptoms — professional guidelines (ASCO, NCCN) recommend it for monitoring known disease and as one input alongside CT or MRI, not as a stand-alone rule-out. ### Do I need a doctor's order to get a CA 19-9 test? Not from your own doctor. TestWell's price includes authorization by a licensed physician in our network: order online, choose a Quest Diagnostics or Labcorp location, and the requisition is generated for you — no appointment or referral needed. Results post to your portal in 2–5 business days. If the result is elevated, bring it to your clinician; monitoring a known cancer should always be coordinated with the oncology team. ### What is the CPT code for CA 19-9? CPT 86301 (immunoassay for tumor antigen, CA 19-9). The lab's own order codes are Labcorp 002261 and Quest 4698; the result is reported in U/mL against a reference range of <35 U/mL at both labs. TestWell's price includes the physician order. ### How much does a CA 19-9 test cost? $28.99 on TestWell, all-in, drawn at Quest or Labcorp; no insurance needed and HSA/FSA cards are accepted. Hospital outpatient labs commonly bill about $225 for the same CPT 86301 test before any facility fee. Results in 2–5 business days. ## How to order 1. Add to cart: https://www.test-well.com/cart?add=ca-19-9-test&utm_source=ai_agent&utm_medium=markdown 2. Create an account or sign in, confirm your state and preferred lab, pay by card, HSA or FSA. 3. A licensed physician authorizes the order (usually within minutes); the requisition arrives by email. 4. Walk into any Labcorp patient service center — no appointment needed at most sites. 5. Results post to your TestWell portal in 2–5 business days with reference ranges and flags. ## Related - [Men's Cancer Screening Panel](https://www.test-well.com/tests/mens-cancer-screening-panel) — 12 tests · $299.99 - [Women's Cancer Screening Panel](https://www.test-well.com/tests/womens-cancer-screening-panel) — 12 tests · $299.99 - [CA-125 (Ovarian Cancer Marker)](https://www.test-well.com/tests/ca-125-test) — $34.99 - [Colon Cancer Screening Test (FIT)](https://www.test-well.com/tests/fit-fecal-immunochemical-test) — $59.99 - [Galleri Multi-Cancer Early Detection Test](https://www.test-well.com/tests/galleri-multi-cancer-detection) — $949.99 - [All Cancer Screening tests](https://www.test-well.com/tests/category/cancer-screening) - [Full test directory](https://www.test-well.com/tests/directory) --- Medically reviewed by Youmna DiStefano, MD (Medical Reviewer, TestWell); last reviewed 2026-09-14. Review policy: https://www.test-well.com/reviewers/youmna-distefano-md Canonical page: https://www.test-well.com/tests/ca-19-9-test Machine-readable catalog: https://www.test-well.com/api/catalog.json · MCP server: https://www.test-well.com/mcp · Overview for agents: https://www.test-well.com/llms.txt Prices are cash-pay, in USD, and include physician authorization; every order adds one flat $6 lab processing fee. Educational content is not a diagnosis — discuss results with a clinician.