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Three-month lag on PCR results

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Hello,

I just wanted to ask whether it is usual to have a three-month lag between having a blood test and receiving the results?

More often than not, my BCR-ABL results are not ready in time for my consultation, so I tend to get them at the next one three months down the line.

Unfortunately, there was a technical failure on the one before last and this quarter's is unavailable, so it's been six months now.

Assuming I get the results next time, I'd have waited nine months.

I only ask because it's quite anxiety inducing not knowing while some of the symptoms, such as night sweats, have returned recently.

I was hoping that my latest consultation would lay my mind at rest but, if anything, it's done the opposite, unfortunately.

Regards,

Chris

Hi Chris,

Typically it takes a couple of weeks between blood being taken and the result of the PCR test to be available.

Because of that, I get my blood taken a couple of weeks ahead of my clinic. Do you get yours done on the same day?

David.

I normally have to wait exactly 1 month after the draw to get the result as they’re sent to kings for analysis. When I look at when the report for BCR is processed it’s normally 5-7 days after the blood was taken so 3 of those 4 weeks is absolutely unnecessary. You can get a Covid PCR in 24 hours. Maybe the process is more complicate for our condition I don’t know.

I really wish there will be change in future for how long us CMLers have to wait for results as it’s completely unnecessary to have to wait in limbo for so long. I have a friend in SA that gets his results in an app in 24 - 48 hours. This is how it should be. Last year I was left for 6 months waiting for mutation analysis only to find it never even got processed. Things like this can and should be absolutely avoided.

I wonder if there is a way in the UK anyway to press to push the waiting time for results to be reduced. By this fact alone I reckon half of people’s anxiety could be reduced massively maybe 50% by removing this duration.

I genuinely wouldn’t worry about having to wait for the result. I am tested 6 monthly anyways and not 3 monthly like a lot of people. And I believe the night sweets are an emotional response to stress. I get them when I over worry about things. Coincidentally though it was one symptom of my diagnosis. And TKI can cause night sweets. I highly doubt this is because of a change in your CML status.

Alex

Thanks both. I used to get my bloods done two-three weeks before a consultation but was advised to aim for seven to 10 days instead, which is what I've been doing since.

I imagine labs are under an incredible amount of strain what with Covid, so perhaps that's the quite understandable reason for delays.

I'm not sure whether it's the lab, some peculiarity with my blood or it's the norm, but I've had three or four 'technical failures' over the past year or so.

I shouldn't be too concerned because the consultant described the other blood test results as 'perfect'.

It is very frustrating though. As everyone'll know, a year on treatment's a major milestone and it's troubling to have no real idea where I'm at.

It's very easy to obsess over PCR results and I panicked a while back when I had a relatively minor uptick.

Must keep reminding myself that I'm lucky to have had a deep molecular response very quickly.

Suppose it's one of those things you conquer with time and experience. Perhaps the thing that's surprised me most since I was diagnosed is quite how much of a mental battle it can be at times.

You could get in contact with the lab that performs your tests to get to understand how the test pipeline, from collection to processing time.

In my understanding there are a few steps before you get the results:

  • sample collection
  • the sample is taken to the lab
  • sample waiting to be processed
  • sample processing time
  • sample results

On your test results paper (or pdf) you might be able to see which technology the lab used. For example, our city hospital collects and performs the tests on the same day using the following very convenient technology:

https://www.cepheid.com/en/tests/Oncology-Genetics/Xpert-BCR-ABL-Ultra

I have a second option, in cases where our hospital runs out of cartridges, that takes 7 days to send the results: 1 day to take the sample to a different state, one or more days to wait for processing, and the rest for processing time.

I'm always so amazed when I read about the length of time it takes to get PCR results since it only takes about 20 minutes to run the test. I live in a small town and our hospital has a contract with the Mayo Clinic in Rochester to do laboratory tests. They deliver the blood over night and my local onc would have the results in a day or two. Any delay of me receiving the results would be the fault of my doc. When I see my onc at Mayo I have the results the same day as they are delivered to my Mayo portal account. 

There should be a better way to do this as I remember how nerve wracking it was waiting for the results, even for a few days. I can't imagine waiting 3 months.

I will be interested to hear what you all determine to be the delaying factor(s).

Imagine that I live in Greece and I wait at least 45 days!