[missyyz]

What platelet level is too low for Velcade treatment?

by missyyz on Thu Feb 18, 2016 6:50 am

Hi all..

I have a question on behalf of my Dad, who has just been diagnosed with multiple myeloma after being ill for a year, and followed up by hematology/oncology every 3 months.

He started chemo 2 weeks ago – Velcade, melphalan, and prednisone (VMP). He's elderly, 81, and has renal failure. Creatinine was 240, but now it's 170 after a transfusion. RBC was 89, now 105.

Anyway, his platelet count is down to 66,000 after his first 2 Velcade injections (subcutaneous) and the MP. First cycle of chemo.

Does anyone know what the threshold is for refusing / allowing his next Velcade injection? It's 5 days from now. He wants it so desperately - because he wants to have the summer. Any insight would be great.

[Multibilly]

Re: What platelet level is too low for Velcade treatment?

by Multibilly on Thu Feb 18, 2016 10:43 am

Missy,

You can find this kind of information on a drug's "monograph". Of course, a doctor may decide to use different platelet thresholds for any given patient and will also factor in other things such as whether PN or other side effects are occurring. So, you should really check with the doc.

http://www.drugs.com/monograph/Velcade.html

A platelet count of 25,000 u/L or 30,000 u/L seems to be the published cutoff, depending on which drugs are being used in conjunctions with Velcade. Note that it is very normal for one's platelet count to drop when one starts on Velcade.