Different Lab Results

• By katelynsmamaw
• Posted June 11, 2009 at 8:40 am
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Here's what happened to me. When I had my surgery (I didn't know I had cancer), the pathology at this hospital staged me llC......So I was sent to oncologist at different hospital. This was Dec 2007. Well, I was at a visit in my oncologists office and I said something about being a stage llC....and he goes"No, that 's what the other hospital staged you at. Our pathology staged you at lllA.....WTF??? Didn't anyone think I should've been told? I know its not that drastic BUT I didn't like thinking I was a ll when all along I was a lll...Jumping into the next category ...disheartening.. Oh, did I mention this was a year later. Yes, a whole year! I know the majority of ladies on here seem to be stage lllC. It would be like finding out you're really a 4. Oh well, it is what it is. So yes, Pathology reports from different places can have different reports. Hmmmm....who knows. Maybe it really is llC !!!!!

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• By FavoriteAunt
• Posted June 11, 2009 at 8:55 am
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I don't know any technical information about the methods used by the labs you mention, but I do know I would stay with one lab for consistency.

I found out that even machines used for bone density tests can give different readings depending on how they are calibrated. I had one test done in my gynecologist's office but the results didn't sound right to my rheumatologist. He sent me for a "tie-breaker" back to the hospital where I previously had them done and the results were more in line with what they should have been.

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• By pmiller
• Posted June 11, 2009 at 12:29 pm
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I have found a difference in using two different labs also, not as high as a difference as yours, but different, so my Doc and I have decided to use only one lab. My Doc always says we have to compare apples to apples. Hugs, hope this helps.
Pam

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• By kathy6
• Posted June 11, 2009 at 1:48 pm
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Using two different labs makes a HUGE difference. There is always a difference so try to stick with one lab. Any gync oncologist will tell you that (if you ask). There could be a large difference in numbers or a small difference, it really depends on your own personal markers. Your markers seem to be on the high side (it doesn't mean that you are any worse off than anyone else) so for someone like you, your difference in range could very well be that much or even more. For someone who typically has lower markers, the difference will be smaller. To give you an example, my Mom has stage IIIC, the highest her numbers ever got was 435 before surgery. Now at a stage IIIC level there is a lot of disease. At a stage IIC or IIIA the amount disease is less, but your numbers were higher because of the way your body produces or reacts to this marker (CA125). I always say to people not to get too hung up on the numbers (especially comparing to others) because it is a very individual thing.... Definitely try to stick to the same lab when getting your marker test done, so you will eventually know what your actual baseline is at that lab.

Hope this helps!!!

Hugs,
Kathy

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• By Shamrock2009
• Posted June 11, 2009 at 3:04 pm
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#1 Staging results
Ovarian cancer is staged per specific guidelines via the AJCC/TNM System. If there are errors in one's staging then it is the pathologist's error not a lab error.

#2 CA-125 results
This article shows the “real-life” variability of CA-125 in ovarian cancer patients:
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6WG6-4JG49W1-4&_u ser=10&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version= 1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=ef178b1b78a1ab03c93b245fbb2c5789

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• By tg4love
• Posted June 11, 2009 at 5:59 pm
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Well...this brings up another question. Do you ever think about the scales you step on to weigh? You could weigh on one at home, nude, early in the morning, and same time each day, without eating. Then you dress, eat something and go to the hospital. They weigh you on the scale, same one? You could go down the hall and it could be off by 5 to 10 lbs either higher or lower. The dr. office measures your chemo by this weight, right? The scales could be wrong.....depends on where, or how many people have used this scale too. Larger people sometimes break the weights(sorry about this, but it does happen)
I have asked to not weigh me. I weigh each day on the same scale at home without clothes, without eating, at the same time. (It's my pet pee thing.) I know my weight better than ANYONE or any scale. But, have any of you thought of this?

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• By quacker
• Posted June 11, 2009 at 11:54 pm
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I've been told that CA 125 assays have to be done by the same lab each time. Otherwise, changes could be due to different methods and would not accurately indicate tumor growth, or shrinkage.

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• By Shar123
• Posted June 15, 2009 at 8:43 pm
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GREAT NEWS EVERYONE. I HAD ANOTHER CA-125 DONE TODAY. AND IT CAME BACK AT 4550. FROM 8694. I WENT TO THE ORGINAL LAB THAT I USE. I HAVE MY THIRD ROUND OF CHEMO TOMORROW. THANKS FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT.

GOD BLESS,
SHARI

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