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Explanation of PCR Results
I got the following results today:
AFP, Tumor Marker 3.6 <6.1 ng/mL
Hep C RNA PCR Count 5.03 <1.70 LogIU/mL
HCV RNA IU ML 108000 <50 IU/mL
I don't see my doctor until next week, so I wanted to get some help in explaining the results.
Does that mean my viral count is 5 million? What is the <1.70 mean? And the IU/mL (third line), shouldn't that number be something like half the "Count" number? Well, it's far from that, so what does it mean? And what exactly is AFP (first line)?
Thanks for any pointers!
Hany
AFP, Tumor Marker 3.6 <6.1 ng/mL
Hep C RNA PCR Count 5.03 <1.70 LogIU/mL
HCV RNA IU ML 108000 <50 IU/mL
I don't see my doctor until next week, so I wanted to get some help in explaining the results.
Does that mean my viral count is 5 million? What is the <1.70 mean? And the IU/mL (third line), shouldn't that number be something like half the "Count" number? Well, it's far from that, so what does it mean? And what exactly is AFP (first line)?
Thanks for any pointers!
Hany
AFP=Alpha-fetoprotein
http://www.medicinenet.com/alpha-fetoprotein_blood_test/article.htm
The most widely used biochemical blood test for liver cancer - hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), which is a protein normally made by the immature liver cells in the fetus. At birth, infants have relatively high levels of AFP, which fall to normal adult levels by the first year of life. Also, pregnant women carrying babies with neural tube defects may have high levels of AFP. (A neural tube defect is an abnormal fetal brain or spinal cord that is caused by folic acid deficiency during pregnancy.)
In adults, high blood levels (over 500 nanograms/milliliter) of AFP are seen in only three situations:
• HCC
• Germ cell tumors (cancer of the testes and ovaries)
• Metastatic cancer in the liver (originating in other organs)
The sensitivity of AFP for HCC is about 60%. In other words, an elevated AFP blood test is seen in about 60% of HCC patients. That leaves 40% of patients with HCC who have normal AFP levels. Therefore, a normal AFP does not exclude HCC. Also, as noted above, an abnormal AFP does not mean that a patient has HCC.
Hep C RNA PCR Count 5.03 <1.70 LogIU/mL
This is your HCV expressed in Logs.
HCV RNA IU ML 108000 <50 IU/mL
This is your HCV expressed in IU/ml
IU=2.5 copies or there abouts
What this all means is
108000 IU/mL = 5.03 Logs
Less than 50IU/mL=1.70 logs
Your HCV Viral Load is 108,000
Hope this Helps
CS
http://www.medicinenet.com/alpha-fetoprotein_blood_test/article.htm
The most widely used biochemical blood test for liver cancer - hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), which is a protein normally made by the immature liver cells in the fetus. At birth, infants have relatively high levels of AFP, which fall to normal adult levels by the first year of life. Also, pregnant women carrying babies with neural tube defects may have high levels of AFP. (A neural tube defect is an abnormal fetal brain or spinal cord that is caused by folic acid deficiency during pregnancy.)
In adults, high blood levels (over 500 nanograms/milliliter) of AFP are seen in only three situations:
• HCC
• Germ cell tumors (cancer of the testes and ovaries)
• Metastatic cancer in the liver (originating in other organs)
The sensitivity of AFP for HCC is about 60%. In other words, an elevated AFP blood test is seen in about 60% of HCC patients. That leaves 40% of patients with HCC who have normal AFP levels. Therefore, a normal AFP does not exclude HCC. Also, as noted above, an abnormal AFP does not mean that a patient has HCC.
Hep C RNA PCR Count 5.03 <1.70 LogIU/mL
This is your HCV expressed in Logs.
HCV RNA IU ML 108000 <50 IU/mL
This is your HCV expressed in IU/ml
IU=2.5 copies or there abouts
What this all means is
108000 IU/mL = 5.03 Logs
Less than 50IU/mL=1.70 logs
Your HCV Viral Load is 108,000
Hope this Helps
CS
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