[Candyfloss]

Stem cell transplant or no?

by Candyfloss on Fri May 15, 2015 9:39 am

Hi my mother is 70 and was diagnosed in January with multiple myeloma. She has nearly finished four rounds of chemo and the consultant wants to do a stem cell transplant. My mother is refusing.

The consultant has told her she she will have another 15 months with the transplant, but she is gathering she will lose about a year of her life through feeling so unwell and therefore has decided it's just not worth it

She doesn't drink (although smoked for twenty years, now stopped), is very slim, etc

Also, I am worried about what the future holds for me. I gather it's not hereditary, but the Internet also says your four times more likely to get it if a close family member has it?

She won't ask the consultant any detailed question, so I can't be any more help of what stage she is at, but I'm gathering stage three.

Should she have the transplant, do you think, or is it just not worth it?

Many thanks.

[NStewart]

Re: Stem cell transplant or no?

by NStewart on Fri May 15, 2015 6:05 pm

In the end, it is your mother's decision whether to have a transplant, or not. Is she being seen by a myeloma specialist? What has been her response to the treatment that she has had so far? Is she willing to get a second opinion from another myeloma specialist? Is her current oncologist willing to treat her with a maintenance type treatment if she doesn't do a transplant? Does she have any other medical conditions that she feels would make it so that her life expectancy is limited at age 70 other than the myeloma?

More people are deciding to not have a transplant and are continuing on chemo-type treat­ment indefinitely. If she is feeling well and her myeloma is under control with her current treatment, it might be ok to not have a transplant. Even with a transplant, most people do eventually relapse and begin treatment again. Many, like me, still achieved good control of the myeloma with con­tinual treat­ment with Revlimid and dex.

Are you able to go with your mother to her appointments so that you can ask questions of her doctor? If you can, you may be able to glean more information about her particular myeloma and response to treatment. You also might be able to ask her doctor about your risk of de­vel­oping myeloma. It isn't considered to be a genetically transmitted disease, but may have fa­mil­ial connections for many reasons. They don't really know what causes myeloma other than some exposures to certain chemicals.

I know that you are concerned about your mother's decision, but she may be making a very good decision for herself.

Nancy in Phila

[Kelleyemery]

Re: Stem cell transplant or no?

by Kelleyemery on Fri May 15, 2015 7:35 pm

Like Nancy just said in her post, it is your mother's decision. I had a stem cell transplant last June. I had complications, not sure how common that is. I was 49 when I had the transplant. I can't imagine having one at 70, to be honest. I am just now somewhat back to normal. My new normal.

The chemo brain is hard to deal with and, if she is already thin, I can't imagine that either. Again I had major complications but lost 50 pounds (23 kg). If she is low risk, maybe it is worth a shot, but high risk maybe not worth it. I would never do it again.