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EXPERIENCE WITH QUEST DIAGNOTICS. 2024-PSA: .04 2016-PSA: .04?

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Posted 12/11/2024 2:24 PM (GMT -5)
I just had my 16 year PSA and it was from Quest. It came back at .04.....no less than symbol.....For 16 years I always used Ohio Health and it was <0.03 Just by chance in 2016 an insurance company did a physical on me and Quest was the lab they used. It came back in .04 as well. No less than symbol....

I have read a few posts on different sites that said Quest did the same thing to them and some that say the got a less than symbol.

The test at Quest was called a "Total PSA". They have another test called "Post Prostatectomy PSA" that goes down to 0.02....I did not get that one for some reason.

Anyone else experience this with Quest?

Chris
(3+3=6) Johns Hopkins 2008 Organ Confined
Posted 12/11/2024 2:42 PM (GMT -5)
Yeah I know what you mean.... I have been using the VA for all my tests, and a couple of months ago they changed to Quest. Lab Test: PSA~Siemens Atellica
Lab Type: Chemistry/Hematology
Ordering Provider: CHANG, DARRYL
Ordering location: NORTH CHARLOTTE VA CLINIC
Specimen: Serum (substance)
Date/Time Collected: 09 Dec 2024 @ 0938
Collected location: NORTH CHARLOTTE VA CLINIC
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Test Name: PSA (ATELLICA)
Result: <0.04 Low THIS IS THE LOWEST IT GOES... SO I AM OK
Units: ng/mL
Reference Range: (0.04-4.00)
Interpretation: --
Performing location: W.G. HEFNER SALISBURY VAMC 1601 BRENNER AVE. , SALISBURY,
NC 28144-2515
Status: Final
Posted 12/12/2024 7:57 AM (GMT -5)
Hello! I was just googling see what I could find on this issue. My husband has had an RP and salvage radiation. Also had a total PSA test through quest (part of a physical for insurance benefits). His also came back as .04 (no less than sign) so our nerves are on edge. He will get tested at his regular hospital lab on Monday, but we are nervous. So has this happened to you twice now with quest?

(3+4), organ confined, Rp 2023, salvage radiation 2024
Posted 12/12/2024 10:58 AM (GMT -5)
This happened to me as well. 15 Years since I had RP surgery. I have always used Quest. For 12 years my psa result was always less than .1.
In year 13 I got a result of .04 and I was a little worried but it did have the less than sign so I figured that was a more accurate test that Quest was doing
Year 14 got the same result
This year (15) my result was .04 but no less than sign. My doc did a retest and it came back less than .02. I figured that was the super sensitive test as it went to another lab ( I think) and took longer for the result

Im going see if my doc will just request the other test mentioned in previous post going forward
Posted 12/12/2024 11:48 AM (GMT -5)
Quest calls its most sensitive PSA test "Post-Prostatecomy" (undetectable comes back <0.02).
Labcorp calls its most sensitive test "Ultrasensitive" (undetectable comes back <0.006).

1. Whichever lab you're using, I suggest always reminding the person who draws your blood which PSA test you should be getting (they may or may not have the paperwork handy to check it).

2. If you ever get back a result that tells you the wrong (i.e., less sensitive) test was done, it pays to let your doc know right away. This happened to me once; however, the lab had drawn enough blood to run the correct test, which saved me a trip for another blood draw.

Djin
Posted 12/12/2024 1:40 PM (GMT -5)
Genright.

Yes this has happened twice.

This is the test I had from Quest
PSA, Total

Not the: PSA, Post Prostatectomy

Starting in 2008
<0.03 for 8 years Ohio Health

2016 Quest .04 Was for life insurance.
<0.03 an instant retest at Ohio Health.

2016-2023 <0.03 from Ohio Health

2024 .04 no < Ohio Health outsourced their labs to Quest. This was the “PSA, Total” test not the ultra sensitive.

I am seeing other posts from other forums around the Internet, where people are having the same issue with quest of them dropping the less than symbol and then they go to a different lab and it’s immediately less than

There is something about the way quest reports this test for some reason obviously they don’t know what they’re doing
Posted 12/12/2024 2:58 PM (GMT -5)
Seebee. Was the <0.02 using the quest post prostatectomy test and not the PSA Total test from Quest.
Posted 12/12/2024 3:15 PM (GMT -5)
Yes, I didnt realize there were (2) tests available from Quest. I looked at the results and the one that had the .04 was "Total PSA"

The retest that had the .02 with the less than was "Post Prostatectomy" I never noticed the different name on the result page
Evidently my doctor is aware of the different test, my yearly bloodwork is in a couple of months and Im going to bring this up

i think Im going to get them to use the post prostatectomy test from now on. Im surprised Quest hasnt brought this up. In my previous post I mentioned that I had been getting less than .1 as a result for 12 years and then started getting .04 number (sometimes with the less than sign). Kinda confusing
Posted 12/16/2024 1:15 PM (GMT -5)
I had always used Quest in the past, and had the post- prostatectomy test after surgery. After three 3 month tests showing <.02, at the one year mark, it came back at 2.8. Yikes, I was freaked out. I went to my surgeon and retested and it came back at < .02.

I contacted Quest and got a higher up out on the West Coast. he investigated. Told me they spoke with every person that handled my blood sample, and they also tried to reproduce the result, but could not. Every time they retested THE SAME SAMPLE it came back as <.02. They could not explain what happened, just clueless.

Ever since that experience I have only used Labcorp.
Posted 12/16/2024 5:29 PM (GMT -5)
I remember when Pratoman had that false PSA from Quest. I too have never used Quest since then and never will.
Posted 12/31/2024 12:48 PM (GMT -5)
The folks who work at the Quest locations down here in south Louisiana are much less than impressive. I avoid Quest completely.
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