Dear Suzieq, There are trials underway to see whether IFN or vaccines help Gleevec CCR patients go to PCRU by adding these agents to Gleevec. Every December, the hematologists present their results at a big conference called the American Society of Hematology meeting (ASH). So, lets see if some of the vaccine and IFN added to Gleevec results are presented in this year's conference. Speaking on behalf of my husband, Roy, who is in CCR with Gleevec, but not PCRU, we want to wait to see the results of adding both IFN or vaccines before changing anything with his therapy.
There is a trial soon going to be under way where Gleevec patients who have been in stable CCR for a while (PCR has reached plateau) will add either IFN or vaccine and then see if their PCR falls further. Allyson, since you started on IFN/Gleevec combo, it is difficult to tell for you if IFN helped or not. Since with Gleevec, 86% reach CCR, anyway. But in the trials going to be done, patients are going to add the agents to Gleevec after their PCR values are no longer going down with Gleevec monotherapy. The vaccines have shown benefit for some, they have in fact reduced PCR values further, but for some, the responses were transient. Suzieq, it is good that you are thinking on these lines. We have also discussed with our doctor how to get Roy's PCR values lower (he is 4 years CCR) and so far, the doctor is leaning more towards going to the new kinase inhibitor AMN107 rather than anything else. We are keeping our options open. With a new drug, there is a whole lot of new questions to consider- what is the safety profile, what are the results from trials and net answer- it is a very new drug. Not much data, yet, but then many on this and other lists have been pioneers. My own feeling is that let patients who have had CML for longer and never reaching MMR or PCRU- let them pursue other options and newer patients on Gleevec look at the results of the experimental therapies to reduce PCR further. And then based on results, bring up the topic with your doctor. Remember that it has been seen from studies, that Gleevec patients have their PCR going down over time, even after 3-4 years, there can be a decrease. So, for new Gleevec patients, let Gleevec take time to reduce the PCR levels and at the same time, wait and watch for what the vaccine, IFN or Sprycel/AMN are doing in reducing PCR values. Best Wishes, Anjana caregiver to Roy --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ [CMLHope] A support group of http://cmlhope.com ------------------------------------------------- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "CMLHope" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/CMLHope -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
