Hello All
Just have a question about a second stem cell transplant.
I have already got stem cells on ice. Does that mean that if I am to get a second stem cell transplant, I can skip straight to the transplant without the 16-week lead up, which in my case was Velcade, Revlimid, and dexamethasone (VRD) that was necessary for the first stem cell transplant?
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My logic being as there is no harvest required then why go through the lead up to lower levels to get better amount of unaffected stem cells.
Wouldn't blasting with the high dose have the same effect? They told me the high dose kills the good the bad and the ugly, so why do the lead up?
Thanks Vicki
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vicstir - Name: Vic
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Myself
- When were you/they diagnosed?: October 2013
- Age at diagnosis: 39
Re: Is treatment before a second transplant necessary?
Hello Vicki,
I hope all is going well for you. Are you having the myeloma act up to where you will be having a second transplant? I guess that would be my question. This is what my doctors recommended even though I had my cells on ice for my one transplant.
I had my cells collected after I met a complete response with Velcade, Revlimid, and dexamethasone (VRD). But had the cells on ice for almost two years due to my ailing Mom needing my help. I did start to have the myeloma start raising its ugly head again and I was given Kyprolis and dex for almost two months prior to my transplant. Even though the high-dose chemo given before transplant will wipe out good and bad cells, they wanted me to be as clear of any myeloma that was still hanging around. I almost got to a complete response one month before transplant. I believe that they also wanted me to stop the treatments one month before transplant.
My transplant doctor also watched how my treatment of Kyprolis and dex was coming along. And he pretty much made the call as to when he thought my blood tests and a bone marrow biopsy looked good enough to go through with the transplant.
Hope this helps a little, George
I hope all is going well for you. Are you having the myeloma act up to where you will be having a second transplant? I guess that would be my question. This is what my doctors recommended even though I had my cells on ice for my one transplant.
I had my cells collected after I met a complete response with Velcade, Revlimid, and dexamethasone (VRD). But had the cells on ice for almost two years due to my ailing Mom needing my help. I did start to have the myeloma start raising its ugly head again and I was given Kyprolis and dex for almost two months prior to my transplant. Even though the high-dose chemo given before transplant will wipe out good and bad cells, they wanted me to be as clear of any myeloma that was still hanging around. I almost got to a complete response one month before transplant. I believe that they also wanted me to stop the treatments one month before transplant.
My transplant doctor also watched how my treatment of Kyprolis and dex was coming along. And he pretty much made the call as to when he thought my blood tests and a bone marrow biopsy looked good enough to go through with the transplant.
Hope this helps a little, George
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Castaway - Name: George
- Who do you know with myeloma?: just myself
- When were you/they diagnosed?: 1/24/14
- Age at diagnosis: 62
Re: Is treatment before a second transplant necessary?
Firstly, I put down the wrong treatment. i was on CVD. I got confused.
I did not get to full response after my stem cell transplant (SCT). I had a very good partial response (VGPR). My protein levels got down to 8 g/l (0.8 g/dl). I am to believe this was due to my refractory chromosomes. Which has me with high risk disease.
That was back in May 2014. My levels have risen slowly ever since, to my latest level of 20 g/l (2.0 g/dl). At diagnosis i was 27 g/l (2.7 g/dl). Not high compared to most who have been diagnosed. Fortunately I had no organ damage and nil bone damage.
My doctor has advised me to have another transplant due to my initial transplant having a "good" result and keeping me in "stable disease" for 4 years. She believes me robust enough to have another. I trust her. She has my life in her hands I guess.
I was curious it when you have a second transplant years apart from the first if it is typical to have a lead up regimen again, or just go straight to the big dose followed by stem cell infusion.
George, thanks for your reply. Yes my levels are rising faster now, so it is just a matter of when I start treatment again. After my first transplant I was not on any maintenance. Which I elected, and was glad I didn't. Nothing i read at the time convinced me that maintenance would hold my levels. It seemed a possibly maybe, might might not situation. So i opted not to have it.
Who knows maybe my levels will plateau out again. We will see in February when I go to the doctor again.
The waiting and watching game that we all play.
Vicki
I did not get to full response after my stem cell transplant (SCT). I had a very good partial response (VGPR). My protein levels got down to 8 g/l (0.8 g/dl). I am to believe this was due to my refractory chromosomes. Which has me with high risk disease.
That was back in May 2014. My levels have risen slowly ever since, to my latest level of 20 g/l (2.0 g/dl). At diagnosis i was 27 g/l (2.7 g/dl). Not high compared to most who have been diagnosed. Fortunately I had no organ damage and nil bone damage.
My doctor has advised me to have another transplant due to my initial transplant having a "good" result and keeping me in "stable disease" for 4 years. She believes me robust enough to have another. I trust her. She has my life in her hands I guess.
I was curious it when you have a second transplant years apart from the first if it is typical to have a lead up regimen again, or just go straight to the big dose followed by stem cell infusion.
George, thanks for your reply. Yes my levels are rising faster now, so it is just a matter of when I start treatment again. After my first transplant I was not on any maintenance. Which I elected, and was glad I didn't. Nothing i read at the time convinced me that maintenance would hold my levels. It seemed a possibly maybe, might might not situation. So i opted not to have it.
Who knows maybe my levels will plateau out again. We will see in February when I go to the doctor again.
The waiting and watching game that we all play.
Vicki
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vicstir - Name: Vic
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Myself
- When were you/they diagnosed?: October 2013
- Age at diagnosis: 39
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