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Re: Is a plasma cell percentage of 70% high?
I had an 80% plasma percentage at diagnosis. I have standard risk multiple myeloma. It took about 3 rounds of Revlimid, Velcade and dexamethasone (RVD) to get me from a 4.1 g/dL M-spike down to a zero M-spike. I had a total of 5 rounds of RVD before having an auto transplant. I had another bone marrow biopsy right before the transplant (6 months after diagnosis) ... and the plasma cell percentage at that time was zero. So the percentage can be reduced very quickly in some patients. I had another bone marrow biopsy a year later (18 months after diagnosis) and the percentage was still only 1-2%.
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DallasGG - Name: Kent
- Who do you know with myeloma?: myself
- When were you/they diagnosed?: 6/20/2013
- Age at diagnosis: 56
Re: Is a plasma cell percentage of 70% high?
DallasGG, I hope this happens to my husband. He has four months of weekly CyborD and then the plan is for a stem cell transplant.
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dogmom - Who do you know with myeloma?: husband
- When were you/they diagnosed?: December 2015
- Age at diagnosis: 58
Re: Is a plasma cell percentage of 70% high?
My wife's plasma cell level reached 60% and she was told she had a 90% risk of it becoming multiple myeloma from smoldering. I read recently that the protocol has changed and at 60% it's considered multiple myeloma. She went through 4 months of cyclophosphamide, Velcade, and dexamethasone (CyBorD) followed by an autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT) with a second ASCT to occur shortly, due to her cytogenetics. CyBorD really helped improve her levels.
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SK1 - Name: SK
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Spouse
- When were you/they diagnosed?: June 2015
- Age at diagnosis: 62
Re: Is a plasma cell percentage of 70% high?
Hi dogmom,
I agree with all that's been said and can only add my own story. I had aggressive disease with several factors suggesting a poor prognosis:
Age - Almost 76 at initial diagnosis.
90% plasma cells in marrow
Aggressive disease - In less than six weeks, M spike went from 3.0 to 6.52 g/dL, b2 microglobulin 4.63, a kappa / lambda free light chain ratio of 791, and cytogenetics that indicated poor prognosis.
I enrolled in the elotuzumab, Revlimid, dex clinical trial and after about four months reached a very good partial response (VGPR) with an M-spike of 0.10 g/dL and all other values returning to normal. I feel great, my only limitations are due to being 77 years of age and am doing everything I want to do, including some part time teaching in a medical school.
I think a positive outlook is essential and you seem to be getting that from the people who post here. Good luck to you and your husband. In my opinion as a retired physician, I think regular exercise and a good diet are also important. I'm also suspicious of overdoing supplements, with a few exceptions. Always discuss them with your myeloma specialist.
I agree with all that's been said and can only add my own story. I had aggressive disease with several factors suggesting a poor prognosis:
Age - Almost 76 at initial diagnosis.
90% plasma cells in marrow
Aggressive disease - In less than six weeks, M spike went from 3.0 to 6.52 g/dL, b2 microglobulin 4.63, a kappa / lambda free light chain ratio of 791, and cytogenetics that indicated poor prognosis.
I enrolled in the elotuzumab, Revlimid, dex clinical trial and after about four months reached a very good partial response (VGPR) with an M-spike of 0.10 g/dL and all other values returning to normal. I feel great, my only limitations are due to being 77 years of age and am doing everything I want to do, including some part time teaching in a medical school.
I think a positive outlook is essential and you seem to be getting that from the people who post here. Good luck to you and your husband. In my opinion as a retired physician, I think regular exercise and a good diet are also important. I'm also suspicious of overdoing supplements, with a few exceptions. Always discuss them with your myeloma specialist.
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Ted Kan - Who do you know with myeloma?: Self
- When were you/they diagnosed?: December 2014
- Age at diagnosis: 75
Re: Is a plasma cell percentage of 70% high?
Everyone is different when it comes to myeloma. I only had 30% at diagnosis 2 years ago, but have 17p deletion, which makes me high risk, so was put on aggressive therapy. I responded very well (no stem cell transplant), but I have seen patients who were not high risk not do as well.
A very strange cancer, indeed. Sometimes there is no rhyme or reason. I do exercise every day, eat a super healthy diet, and practice visual imagery. I take vitamins when I remember. Oh, and I'm 55 years old.
A very strange cancer, indeed. Sometimes there is no rhyme or reason. I do exercise every day, eat a super healthy diet, and practice visual imagery. I take vitamins when I remember. Oh, and I'm 55 years old.
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Janet1520
Re: Is a plasma cell percentage of 70% high?
Janet,
My husband has a 16p deletion and is on Velcade to offset that. His myeloma MD says the Velcade cancels out the poor prognosis with the 16p deletion and he has no other poor prognosis factors.
Good luck to you.
My husband has a 16p deletion and is on Velcade to offset that. His myeloma MD says the Velcade cancels out the poor prognosis with the 16p deletion and he has no other poor prognosis factors.
Good luck to you.
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dogmom - Who do you know with myeloma?: husband
- When were you/they diagnosed?: December 2015
- Age at diagnosis: 58
Re: Is a plasma cell percentage of 70% high?
My hubby has 95%. His onc was amazed that he was standing, let alone still working at a job where he's on his feet most of the day. So it makes me feel less concerned seeing others with high percentages and doing well over time.
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wekebu - Name: Wendy
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Hubby
- When were you/they diagnosed?: Jan 2016
- Age at diagnosis: 55
Re: Is a plasma cell percentage of 70% high?
My husband is about a year behind your husband. He was diagnosed January 2017 It was the week of his 50th birthday. He was at 95 percent plasma cell percentage and M-protein was at 13.
My husband was working as well and had no pain or fractures. He just thought that his bronchitis was getting worse. My mother-in-law made him go to the hospital because it wasn't getting better.
As i am reading more from this Beacon , I am amazed at how high his levels were. The doctor thinks it will take 4 rounds of the Revlimid, Velcade, and dexamethasone (RVD). He is having some reactions with swelling and a rash, and very much fatigued.
His numbers last week showed his M-proteins were down to 6 after 1 and a half rounds. The doctor thinks that he is still on track for 4 rounds before the stem cell transplant process.
I hope your husband is doing well. It's still really hard to wrap our heads around all it.
My husband was working as well and had no pain or fractures. He just thought that his bronchitis was getting worse. My mother-in-law made him go to the hospital because it wasn't getting better.
As i am reading more from this Beacon , I am amazed at how high his levels were. The doctor thinks it will take 4 rounds of the Revlimid, Velcade, and dexamethasone (RVD). He is having some reactions with swelling and a rash, and very much fatigued.
His numbers last week showed his M-proteins were down to 6 after 1 and a half rounds. The doctor thinks that he is still on track for 4 rounds before the stem cell transplant process.
I hope your husband is doing well. It's still really hard to wrap our heads around all it.
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DMR - Name: DMR
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Husband
- When were you/they diagnosed?: January 2017
- Age at diagnosis: 50
Re: Is a plasma cell percentage of 70% high?
On July 4, 2017, my mother had a bone marrow aspiration and bone marrow biopsy. She has 90% abnormal plasma cells even after 6 cycles of Velcade, thalidomide, and dexamethasone (VTD).
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Bala devi - Name: Vikas Nehra
- Who do you know with myeloma?: My mother
- When were you/they diagnosed?: 23/12/2016, Delhi (India)
- Age at diagnosis: 45
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