Hi everyone. My mom was diagnosed with primary Plasma Cell Leukemia back in May. She just recently (9/30/13) went in for an autologous stem cell transplant. Her apheresis was very successful and they were able to collect 24 million cells.
She was given melphalan on 9/30 and the infusion on 10/1. Since then it has been a waiting game. Doctors told us to expect her WBC count to start rising at around day +10. However, we are now at day +15 and her counts have risen only from <.1 to 0.1. They have now been at 0.1 for two days. Doctors are saying that she is slow to engraft and, apparently, are looking into the viability of her stem cells.
I thought that an autologous SCT was almost always successful, so needless to say I'm shocked that it hasn't proven to be thus far. Has anyone out there been through this, either personally or with a family member, and also been slow to engraft?
I am so disheartened and finding it very difficult to get any perspective given what a rare disease my mom has.
Thanks so very much.
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Re: Question re: auto SCT and engraftment
Hello mauramc,
Graft failure is a well known but uncommon complication of autologous stem cell transplantation. Patients also may have delayed engraftment that can take up to 30-60 days. The causes of graft failure are often difficult to ascertain. Your mother has backup stem cells that can be used to "rescue" a patient with a failed graft. I hope that your mothers stem cells do come around soon and I wish a speedy recovery for your mom.
Graft failure is a well known but uncommon complication of autologous stem cell transplantation. Patients also may have delayed engraftment that can take up to 30-60 days. The causes of graft failure are often difficult to ascertain. Your mother has backup stem cells that can be used to "rescue" a patient with a failed graft. I hope that your mothers stem cells do come around soon and I wish a speedy recovery for your mom.
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Dr. Edward Libby - Name: Edward Libby, M.D.
Beacon Medical Advisor
Re: Question re: auto SCT and engraftment
Update:
Thank you so much for your response. I just want to update you on my mother's progress - or lack thereof - and hear your thoughts. Also, I'm hoping to hear from other people at similar experiences.
My mom is now at day +22 and has yet to engraft. Her WBC count increased on Sunday from 0.1 to 0.2 and has stabilized there but has not come up further. She continues to have absolutely no appetite or energy and occasional diarrhea. The team did a bone marrow biopsy on Monday and while they didn't get the full result they were encouraged by what the serum (I think) was showing, in that her marrow was active.
However, every day we are expecting her counts to improve any they don't seem to be doing so. In the meantime, the doctors have considered the possibility of an allo transplant if things don't turn a corner. I just feel absolutely terrible for her and a skeptical that engraftment will still happen.
Thoughts?
Thank you so much for your response. I just want to update you on my mother's progress - or lack thereof - and hear your thoughts. Also, I'm hoping to hear from other people at similar experiences.
My mom is now at day +22 and has yet to engraft. Her WBC count increased on Sunday from 0.1 to 0.2 and has stabilized there but has not come up further. She continues to have absolutely no appetite or energy and occasional diarrhea. The team did a bone marrow biopsy on Monday and while they didn't get the full result they were encouraged by what the serum (I think) was showing, in that her marrow was active.
However, every day we are expecting her counts to improve any they don't seem to be doing so. In the meantime, the doctors have considered the possibility of an allo transplant if things don't turn a corner. I just feel absolutely terrible for her and a skeptical that engraftment will still happen.
Thoughts?
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mauramc
3 posts
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