Question about LDH

[mercyriver]

First off, is there a difference between LDH and LD? I know they are both being used as tumor marker tests. So I am assuming they are the same.

Secondly, the LD is rising, before the orchiectimy it was LDH and 184 with a reference range of 100-190 U/L, 10 days after it was LD and 135 but the reference range was 100-250 U/L, the blood draw from about 10 days ago it was back up to 194 and it was listed as LD with a reference range of 100-250 U/L


I don't know why the reference ranges are different, it was the lab done at the hospital.

But I do know it makes it look like it is higher now then before surgery and if it had been 194 at surgery it would have been considered high, but now it is not.

I know not to over react about anything. But I am curious if anyone has any thoughts on this.

Thanks!

B

[Vinny]

LDH is probably the least reliable of the measurements taken in TC patients. It isn't a tumor marker per se, but rather is related to tumor bulk. It can rise for several reasons, including exercise, alcohol consumption, tissue death, bacterial infection, etc. Staging isn't even affected by LDH levels unless they really start getting out of hand (close to 10X normal, whatever normal is).

If you take a look at the graph of my markers you'll see that LDH was basically stable from the time of diagnosis (12/27/2004) through the beginning of chemo (1/24/2005) and then spiked during the first round of BEP, even as B-HCG and AFP were dropping through the floor.

So, long story short, don't fret just yet. I'd give greater weight to your AFP and B-HCG and your post orchiectomy CT Scan.