You are here

PCR Increase

Categories:

Hello All, I just received my latest PCR results and they have me worried. I have had a good response to 100 mg of Sprycel after switching from 400 mg of Imatinib due to side effects. I was diagnosed September 2019. My results for the past few test were.

3/4 P210 .22 No P190 listed

5/29 P210 .0127 P190 .001

8/27 P210 .066 P190 1.05

All above are percentages. My concern here is the P190 transcript. Has anyone seen a jump like that in their results? I know that many people do not get checked for P190 after diagnosis as long as it is with the other transcript and not by itself. My onc isn't concerned but naturally higher results leads to anxiety. Any advice is appreciated. Thank You Shawn J

Hey there,

Personally I don’t have p190 just the p210 but what I will say is the several years I have been on this forum I and many others are very hypersensitive to any increase in our numbers me included. What I am learning is to trust our oncologists and mine is always as cool as a cucumber.

Its hard I know and does cause us a lot of anxiety but the way I try to look at it is this is a chronic illness it’s bound to fluctuate from time to time it’s a miracle that any of this works at all, up today down tomorrow. Obviously if you get a substantial rise then it’s more worrying but try not to worry about these “little” increases. You’re in MMR and I am not I’d swap with you any day haha. I will try to heed my own advice too.

I am sure all is fine and all the best

Alex

Alex,

Thank you for the reply.

I have searched the far reaches of the web to see if I could find something where the P190 jumped like that in a test result, there isn't much of anything out there. I am suspicious of the results do to it being in my mind a rather big jump. This illness is so test results focused that I tend to get upset when the trend is not behaving as I desire. It is really difficult for me to deal with the possibility that the meds may not work and these results stir those feelings inside.

I am having a talk with my doctor this afternoon, hopefully he can explain things to me.

The question still stands here though. Does anyone have the P210 and P190 transcripts and seen a case where both increase but the P190 has a larger increase?

Thank you

Shawn J

Hey, Shawn! The same thing happened to a patient here in Brazil and it wasn't anything to worry about. He's still in remission (PCRU) and have no other problem. Just to be on the safe side, ask your consultant about it in your next appointment. Cheers!

Update

The doctor called me and explained to me that the lab was mistakenly reporting the p190 transcript and should only be reporting the p210. He had the lab re-chart my results since diagnosis and sent me the picture to my phone. He said my trend looks good and he doesn't see any reason to change medications or increase dose.

 

Additionally, I have pressed him previously about a dose reduction for Sprycel due to side effects and the potential of improved results, today he agreed to step down to 80. He said we could go further but he wanted a PCR or two to show the downward trend continues. I am hoping this reduces my Heart Palpitations so I can stop taking the Beta Blocker I am on. I also have a number of other small side effects that are a pain.

 

Thank you for the replies everyone. It is good to hear that someone has encountered this and Alex you are right when you say listen to the doctor.

 

This site as always is a huge help.

Thank You

Shawn J

Ahh that’s really good news! Yes it’s something we all have to learn I freak out as much as the next person I kind of want to save my worries for a time when/if I need to worry and as I said that’ll be when my doctor worries. Needless to say this disease is anxiety inducing at the best of times without the worry of BCR increases.

All the best

Alex