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PSA Test - variable results

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User
Posted 29 Sep 2022 at 08:41

Hi, My husband had his blood tested at the same lab but recently there have been occasions they took twice the amount of blood. The first time this happened, the same blood draw led to PSA of 288 and 311 in two different results. This time, the results are 676 and 821. Which is correct? Why is there so much variation? Someone said to me that PSA tests are 20%+/-. In that case, at lower numbers this must cause a problem. Has anyone else experienced this kind of variation? 

User
Posted 29 Sep 2022 at 13:09

Spw, . At one  blood test the nurse took two vials of my blood from the same syringe. They went into two envelopes and were sent to the same hospital lab. The difference in the results was 0.01 (0.33 & 0.34).  That is a difference of around 0.03 percent. 

Your first set of results are  about 10 percent different the second set are about 20 percent different. You would expect any sort of testing device to have a accuracy level of 5 percent or less. I expect labs have more than one machine and there is no guarantee that both samples were done in the same machine or at the same time. 

I don't know if there have been any studies on the uniformity of PSA in the blood stream. Is it a bit like taking two slices from the same cherry cake, one might have far more cherries than the other ?

Thanks Chris 

Edited by member 29 Sep 2022 at 15:18  | Reason: Not specified

User
Posted 29 Sep 2022 at 18:13
thank you Chris. The PSA numbers are so high that it sort of does not matter too much but we are entering the worrying territory are these are numbers whilst on chemo.
User
Posted 29 Sep 2022 at 18:17

Was talking to a guy on my last radiotherapy session last year he started off with a psa off 1500 eight years ago and was still here but had to have hormone therapy for life but was still ok and enjoying life 👍

User
Posted 29 Sep 2022 at 18:19
that is comforting to know. My husband is mCRPC. Hormones are no longer effective.
 
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