2 replies to this topic

[Melanie]

I just got my first pcr test back and don't understand what I'm looking at. Hoping you all can help explain it to me.

bcr/abl, QT PCR, cell-based - 0.006 H 0.000   ratio Q

The ratio of the fusion transcripts to an international control transcript (ABL) is shown.

BCR-ABL:ABL ratio   2.838    Log redustion Q

This assay is a real time quantitative RT-PCR assay. Extracted sample RNA is subjected to a real time RT-PCR reaction to measure quantity of the two types of BCR-ABL fusion transcripts (b2a2/b3a2 and e1a2) .

It goes on to explain to say the analytical sensitivity of the test is 1 tumor cell in 100000 normal cells. The median of BCR-ABL:ABL ratio in previously untreated CML patients is 4.1325 in peripheral blood. New England Journal states its not necessary to know the baseline to calculate the change and this calculation should be based on the above median.

Log reduction is calculated with this formula

log10(4.1325)-log10(bcr-abl:abl ratio) unit log reduction.

??????????

Any help would be much appreciated. My fish last month was a 2.2.

Thank you all so much!

Melanie

[Trey]

It looks great.  The PCR ratio is .006, which is .6% in percentage terms.  It says the lab standard diagnosis ratio is 4.1325 so MMR (3 log reduction) would be .004 ratio, which you are very close to achieving, which is also shown by your stated 2.838 log reduction.  So overall very very close to the MMR milestone, which is terrific for about one year post-diagnosis.  It is especially good since you have had some trouble staying on a drug due to low blood counts.

The word "fusion"is just lab lingo and refers to the leukemic BCR-ABL that is being measured by the PCR test.

[Melanie]

Thanks so much Trey!  I was a little confused with the wording of ratio and fussion so I wasn't sure what the numbers meant. Thank you, thank you, thank you! What good news for me and really a surprise given the low dosages I take. It's promising that maybe I can get to a deep response...just a bit slower than most. Maybe I can afford to stay on lower dosage now till I can get my blood counts to balance or even take a break till my counts start to come up, without transfussions and shots. We'll see what my Dr says next week. Thanks again...going to go do a happy dance!

Melanie