10 replies to this topic

[snowboots]

Just changed oncs and was much happier with her knowledge. She did my 3 month PCR test (new lab) and I was shocked to see that I went from .03 to .2 !  Pretty sure I'm reading it right. Can there be this much difference in the lab? Or am I heading for disaster?  Appt. to review with her on Thursday. Any advice on how I should question this? Should I ask for another test? Kind of scared right now.

6/15  .68

10/15  .05

1/16 .03

4/16 .202

[JPD]

You're not headed for disaster.  Difference in labs could be that much.  I'm sure they will just want you to retest in 3 mos. 

[Trey]

That is more than a log difference.  I would ask for an immediate re-test.

[CML2012]

I went from PCRU (4 months ago) to 0.04 (1 month ago) when my doctor switched labs. I just went in Monday for a retest. We will see what happens. I am pretty sure this is also more than one log?

[snowboots]

My old onc used Miraca labs in Arizona. This one looks like it came from the local hospital lab. I will know more tomorrow at my appt.. Confused about "logs", although this report says I have a 3.210 log reduction.

[Antilogical]

My reports give the log reduction since diagnosis, and the change since the last test.

Were the Miraca lab results reported in I.S. or were they calculated with a local housekeeping gene?

[snowboots]

They were definitely IS

[snowboots]

Well, had my follow-up appt.  Doc says not to panic since it was done at a new lab. She will retest in 3 months, but do a CBC monthly until then. Still is worrisome though - all this waiting.....

[PhilB]

I would agree with the doc about not panicking and the new lab being the likely culprit, but I would still have been pushing for a new PCR test.  I hope the monthly CBC was requested to keep an eye on some anomaly found in your latest CBC?  If your CBC was fine and the onc is doing it instead of requesting a new PCR then they are an idiot as it would be like checking how someone's ingrowing toenail is doing by counting their legs once a month.

[Gail's]

I do monthly labs. Have ever since diagnosis in January 2015. Bcr-abl every 3 months. The monthly labs are monitored by my pharmacist. Won't dispense my drugs till I do them. Kaiser is very serious about checking for altered blood counts and liver issues.

[thatguy]

I had test at City of Hope that showed a pcr of 4.1% i.s when my normal lab had consistently showed 1.7%, 1.5% and 1.1% immediately following, because it freaked me out. Labs definitely could be the cause.