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#1 JoshLee

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Posted 22 July 2011 - 03:06 PM

I just have a quick question that I have been wondering about since dx. I was diagnosed with a pcr of 1.1%. Is that a low or high number to be diagnosed with? I was on hydro for 4 days before it was done so I seriously wonder if my initial pcr was valid? Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thank in advance. -Josh



#2 Trey

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Posted 22 July 2011 - 03:18 PM

Four days of HU would change the PCR, maybe significantly.  Otherwise, the PCR result would depend on whether it is International Scale or standard scale, but either way it is a good number at 4 days.



#3 JoshLee

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Posted 22 July 2011 - 03:23 PM

Yeah, I think it is standard scale. My initial pcr was 1.1% and then it came back after 3 months as 1.2%, but my fish, at dx was 98% and after 3 months it was 22%. I have never really understood this and wondered if my inital pcr was off or if my fish after 3 months was false? WHO KNOWS? Confused as always!



#4 JoshLee

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Posted 22 July 2011 - 04:13 PM

I think it's also important for me to not that I was dx. around Christmas and I had my PCR done on the 27th or 28th of Dec.and the result was 1.1. So I was dealing with the New Year holiday. Then my first 3 month PCR was 2.6...Then my onc. wanted to do another one. The next one came back as 1.2, but it was drawn on the Thursday before memorial day weekend. Both my fish and PCR tests are done at different locations. The fish is done only an hr away from where I get it drawn, but my PCR is done in Milwaukee at WI Blood Centers, which is a good 5 hrs away from where I live. Basically, my PCRs have all been done around holidays. So my fish is the only one I trust at this point. Is the fish as sensitive to time between draw and test as the PCR? I get my 6 month results back Monday or Tuesday. Thank GOD there was no holiday. What do you think, Trey? Thanks for your help!   -Josh "PCR on Holiday" Lee



#5 Trey

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Posted 22 July 2011 - 09:19 PM

Remember that FISH is a percentage of total WBC cells that are leukemic, but PCR is not.  So you cannot relate a FISH to a PCR.  At diagnosis my 100% FISH related to an 8% PCR at my lab.

A FISH specimen will degrade over time, but up to 4 days is generally acceptable for FISH.  A PCR sample degrades beyond usefulness in less than 2 days (unless frozen, which most labs will not accept frozen specimens due to the added inconvenience of processing).

Sounds like your 6 month PCR may have been processed correcly.  Wait and see.






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