What does it mean if the carbohydrate antigen level is high?
Disease description:
My younger aunt has been feeling unwell lately and went to the hospital for a checkup, where she was found to have elevated levels of carbohydrate antigen. May I ask, what does it mean to have elevated carbohydrate antigen levels?
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Qi Zhirong
Elevated carbohydrate antigen levels, also known as increased glycan antigen values, may be caused by various factors:
1. Improper diet, especially excessive intake of high-sugar foods, may lead to increased blood glucose levels and elevated carbohydrate antigen levels in the body.
2. Environmental factors, such as long-term exposure to polluted environments, may damage the lungs and affect carbohydrate antigen levels.
3. Certain inflammatory diseases, such as acute upper respiratory tract infection, pancreatitis, and colitis, may also cause elevated carbohydrate antigen levels.
4. As one type of tumor marker, elevated carbohydrate antigen levels may also indicate the presence of a tumor, such as rectal cancer, ovarian cancer, or breast cancer.
It should be noted that elevated carbohydrate antigen levels do not directly equate to malignancy. A definitive diagnosis should be made in conjunction with other diagnostic tests.
