[pinotage1]

Experience with Total Therapy 3, thoughts on next steps

by pinotage1 on Sat Mar 12, 2016 9:17 am

Hi,

My husband was diagnosed last February with multiple myeloma and broke his thigh before he could have treatment. He had Velcade, cyclophosphamide, and dexamethasone (VCD) for 5 months and was being prepared for a stem cell transplant but developed plasmacytoma in the thigh muscle, so no transplant.

He had further treatment with lenalidomide (Revlimid), cyclophosphamide, and dexa­metha­sone, but after 2 months developed soft tissue lesions right down the inside of his leg.

The consultant started him on Total Therapy 3, and he has had 4 cycles. After the 3rd cycle, the total serum protein was 5.6, and the consultant was happy that things were going well.

Suddenly, at the end of the 4th cycle, just 3 weeks later he developed a swelling in his leg, which went down again after a couple of days, but the consultant requested an MRI scan. It showed a lesion in his right thigh, and we don't know if that was there before or not. The lesion in his broken thigh is bigger but maybe it was just scanned from a different angle. He also has slight swelling around the muscle in his broken leg.

Anyone ever come across Total Therapy 3 not working?

His bloods though are good, he has no pain and is feeling better than he has done in months.

Does anyone have any ideas?

[blueblood]

Re: Experience with Total Therapy 3, thoughts on next steps

by blueblood on Sat Mar 12, 2016 10:55 am

Pinotage,

I'm aware of Total Therapy 4, and less so of Total Therapy 5 and 6. My understanding is Total Therapy 4 is a modification of Total Therapy 3.

What you described doesn't resemble my experiences with Total Therapy 4. Where is your husband being treated for Total Therapy 3?

[pinotage1]

Re: Experience with Total Therapy 3, thoughts on next steps

by pinotage1 on Sat Mar 12, 2016 11:40 am

We live in the Scotland, so he is being treated in Aberdeen, which is in the north east of Scotland.

[blueblood]

Re: Experience with Total Therapy 3, thoughts on next steps

by blueblood on Sat Mar 12, 2016 12:19 pm

Pinotage,

Thanks. I don't know if this helps or not. The Total Therapy 3 that I am aware of was a treatment protocol at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS). I went back and TT3 looks like it was two induction rounds of VDT-PACE, tandem transplants, two consolidations and maintenance. Whereas TT4 uses MVDT-PACE.

I'm not familiar with TT protocols having 'rounds' as you refer to it.