mburwen <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Sandy, is your Dr. Doing regular PCR tests? If not, he should be.
After 6 months on Gleevec, the FISH test is not terribly useful. Be
that as it may, 6% is not a bad result, and, depending on the
capabilities of the lab that did the test, may even be within the
margin of error of the test process. Before Randy ups the Gleevec
dose, I suggest that you have 3 PCR tests done a month apart. If the
trend is in the right direction and the numbers are good - at least 3
log - then an increased dose is probably not called for.
If you are in a rural area, it may be difficult to find a lab that can
do a quality PCR test. However, you can have blood drawn locally and
then Fedexed to a lab anywere in the country. Your Dr. can arrange
this for you by the simple expedient of writing a prescription order.
Just call the lab you want to process your sample and it will give you
instructions. I recommend that you use a lab associated with a
university medical school or a national cancer hospital. Since I live
100 miles from where I am treated, I do this all the time.
It took 18 months after DX for my platelet count to get back into the
normal range. After I started on Gleevec, it bounced around 90-120.
It is now a steady 145, and I've been on Gleevec 22 months. My Dr.
says this pattern is typical and nothing to worry about. A quick test
Randy can do himself is to prick his finger with a needle. If it stops
bleeding quickly his platelet count is probably high enough to be safe,
but if the wound takes a long time to clot, he should probably have the
platelets boosted.
I was on 400 Gleevec for a year. My PCR hovered around the 3 log mark.
My Dr. is one of those that believes in a 5-6 log objective. He
increased the dose to 800, but I couldn't handle the side effects, and
2 weeks later, I cut back to 600. For me the side effects are no worse
on 600 than 400, so I was able to tolerate the 600 quite well. In 3
months my PCR count dropped to near 6 log which is within the noise
level of the test process, in other words, I'm now PCRU and holding.
If some of Randy's counts are need treatment, I hope your Dr. is a
hematologist/oncologist who is familiar with all the blood remedial
treatments. Seems like something new is popping up every week, so you
need someone who keeps on top of the technology. Also, the so-called
"normal ranges" of blood counts are a bit arbitrary, and, if you are
outside of a normal range, it may not necessarily be dangerous. I've
had blood tests done in a few places and the so-called "normal ranges"
published by each lab often differ, meaning that the rules aren't all
that hard and fast.
Mike Burwen
Do you Yahoo!?
Everyone is raving about the all-new Yahoo! Mail.
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