I was diagnosed a month ago and completed my first RVD [Revlimid, Velcade, dexamethasone] cycle. I was about to start my second cycle when the labs showed neutrophils at 0.3 k . Now my doctors are planning to give me Neulasta or Neupogen and delay the second cycle.
Could the low neutrophil count be a consequence of 25 mg of Revlimid, 10 days after the last dose in the first cycle?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Many thanks,
Hope22
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Re: Neutropenia - could it be due to Revlimid in RVD?
Neutropenia can be a side effect of both Velcade and Revlimid
http://www.rxlist.com/revlimid-drug.htm
http://www.rxlist.com/velcade-side-effects-drug-center.htm
http://www.rxlist.com/revlimid-drug.htm
http://www.rxlist.com/velcade-side-effects-drug-center.htm
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Multibilly - Name: Multibilly
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Me
- When were you/they diagnosed?: Smoldering, Nov, 2012
Re: Neutropenia - could it be due to Revlimid in RVD?
Thank you so much Multibilly. Do you know how doctors choose between Neulasta and Neupogen?
With gratitude
With gratitude
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Multibilly - Name: Multibilly
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Me
- When were you/they diagnosed?: Smoldering, Nov, 2012
Re: Neutropenia - could it be due to Revlimid in RVD?
The active ingredient in both Neulasta and Neupogen is the same -- filgrastim.
However, in the case of Neulasta, the filgrastim is chemically attached to molecules of polyethylene glycol, a polymer. This causes the filgrastim in Neulasta to be released into the body more slowly than when it is in its simple form, as it is in Neupogen.
The overall result is that Neulasta needs to be given to a patient much less frequently than Neupogen. A patient may be required to take Neupogen injections once every day for many days in a row. That won't be the case with Neulasta.
On the other hand, a doctor has more control when the filgrastim is in, and not in, a patient's body if the patient is being given Neupogen, precisely because the drug doesn't stay in the body that long.
So it really depends what the doctor wants to achieve.
(By the way, chemically attaching a drug to polyethylene glycol -- a process call "pegylation" -- is something that's done with a variety of different drugs. The myeloma drug Doxil, for example, is a pegylated form of the older drug doxorubicin, which in its non-pegylated form has the brand name Adriamycin.)
However, in the case of Neulasta, the filgrastim is chemically attached to molecules of polyethylene glycol, a polymer. This causes the filgrastim in Neulasta to be released into the body more slowly than when it is in its simple form, as it is in Neupogen.
The overall result is that Neulasta needs to be given to a patient much less frequently than Neupogen. A patient may be required to take Neupogen injections once every day for many days in a row. That won't be the case with Neulasta.
On the other hand, a doctor has more control when the filgrastim is in, and not in, a patient's body if the patient is being given Neupogen, precisely because the drug doesn't stay in the body that long.
So it really depends what the doctor wants to achieve.
(By the way, chemically attaching a drug to polyethylene glycol -- a process call "pegylation" -- is something that's done with a variety of different drugs. The myeloma drug Doxil, for example, is a pegylated form of the older drug doxorubicin, which in its non-pegylated form has the brand name Adriamycin.)
5 posts
• Page 1 of 1
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