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PSA Sensitive test <0.006

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User

Posted 03 Jul 2024 at 17:24

Asking for a friend.

Does anybody know of a clinic private/NHS who do sensitive PSA blood tests down to around <0.006 range in the Manchester or surrounding areas please :-)

thanks in advance

simon

Edited by member 03 Jul 2024 at 19:52 | Reason: Not specified

User

Posted 07 Jul 2024 at 22:53

I was <0.006 for years. My hospital is now using the abbott method and I am <0.025. I'm a firm believer in the ultra-sensitive test.

User

Posted 08 Jul 2024 at 22:46

Wolverhampton NHS still use 3DP ultrasensetive.

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User

Posted 03 Jul 2024 at 21:25

I don't but you piqued my interest into why they would need it if it's OK to ask. The number that they give is limited by the equipment and the fact that it's a blood test where blood carries the chemicals - no guarantee that it's properly mixed in the bloodstream to such a high degree of accuracy or even if such a low number actually means anything definitive. Just asking and someone may know what you are looking for.

User

Posted 03 Jul 2024 at 22:31

Indeed. Noise and accuracy at these levels are commonly associated with many variables including lab processes and procedures, machine calibration & accepted error range with the assay etc

Suspect this is why it’s used less now as just too much noise at those ranges for the use case plus patient anxiety.

The first 3 years of my post RARP bloods used the <0.006 test. It worked well but one needed to be mindful of noisy datapoints ie 0.007 0.008 and back to undetectable again 🤪 The Abbott Method with range of <0.025 filters that out 👻

In this instance a friend of mine has had some mixed readings recently (2yrs post RARP) with a less sensitive test and wants to pay for the ultra sensitive for extra reassurance before going on family holidays.

Edited by member 03 Jul 2024 at 22:39 | Reason: Not specified

User

Posted 04 Jul 2024 at 08:20

OK, you obviously understand but it seems that maybe your friend is having, the perfectly normal, levels of anxiety. Maybe a conversation with him would help to put things into perspective - unless he is planning a 2 year round the world holiday then nothing is going to change in the short term and no oncologist is going to take any interest until he approaches 0.2 - they have their hands full with patients who have already achieved that threshold.

PSA will change during the day and depend on whether he is sexually active etc - unless the numbers are continuously progressing upwards then there really is nothing to be concerned about in the short term.

There 'may' be some cancer cells still floating around - they haven't done much in 2 years by the sound of it and he really needs a conversation to explain that a high accuracy test isn't going to help and even repeated tests could vary day to day especially if chasing that level of accuracy.

User

Posted 04 Jul 2024 at 08:28

Steve ,a had wondered how well the PSA was distributed in our blood stream, I assume the blood sample is properly mixed in the lab,but not sure.

Tech guy,I had a needle put into my arm and two separate vials were filled, each vial was having several tests but both had a PSA test request.They went of to that same lab and came back as 0.2 and 0.21. My hospital tests down too 0.025 which I found gave me the info I wanted.

I had a lot of fluctuating PSA tests with no explanation. I now stick to a routine,I book the test for 1210, at our local phlebotomy service, the blood is picked up at around 1.00 and off to the same hospital lamp. I did wonder if a variation could be caused by a delay in testing, a sample taken at the hospital is tested between 20 & 120. A sample taken at the GP could be five hours and a 10 mile journey in a van before testing.

Sorry not to actually answer your question. When you have had as many rising results as me , I tend not to worry about the result and just ask " what's the plan".

Thanks Chris

User

Posted 04 Jul 2024 at 08:46

Thanks guys. Yeah got all those points covered. It’s almost as changeable as blood pressure is throughout the day 🤪😵‍💫

He is definitely on the higher end of the anxious scale as I suggested waiting for more data points given previous results don’t tell us a story (No evidence of PSA velocity). It’s more a move for reassurance as he’s well aware of being more stressed than most and for the sake of a nominal fee this would likely achieve the desired outcome unless of course the result is similar then he will just need to be patient for additional datapoints and if they rise to >0.1….then additional treatment.

On point ref cancer calls left behind. Plenty of scope in this game. It’s why I encourage folks to act fast even with type 3 cells, plus being mindful of upgrading, as they are perfectly geared up to migrate from a cancer cell pathology perspective and can remain in situ dormant with adjacent normal cells in the cellular matrix successfully instructing the cancer cell not to replicate….until that intracell signalling breaks down…. Additionally according to Prof Mark Emberton at UCLH biopsy can unfortunately also create an environment for metastasis as cancer cells and effectively smashed through causing large volume of system cellular debris to propogate the system.

Hopefully he will be more settled with the number over time as in this game nothing is certain so we adapt to enjoying our respites between PSA bloods 🤪🙏🍻

Edited by member 04 Jul 2024 at 08:48 | Reason: Not specified

User

Posted 04 Jul 2024 at 10:51

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member

... wants to pay for the ultra sensitive for extra reassurance ...

I would have thought a more sensitive test was almost guaranteed to cause more unnecessary anxiety.

User

Posted 04 Jul 2024 at 11:03

I think it’s a very individual thing.

User

Posted 07 Jul 2024 at 22:53

I was <0.006 for years. My hospital is now using the abbott method and I am <0.025. I'm a firm believer in the ultra-sensitive test.

User

Posted 08 Jul 2024 at 22:46

Wolverhampton NHS still use 3DP ultrasensetive.

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