My husband had surgery 2009 to remove his sternum due to cancer. It took 6 weeks to be diagnosed. Most doctors said he had a pulled muscle. Turned out to be a 5 cm hole in his sternum.
This turned out to be a solitary plasmacytoma and was fully removed. No further treatments were required, and he was followed up annually by haematologist who ran light chain blood tests each year.
After 4.5 years, the paraprotein showed a spike and after tests they found a small lesion on his shoulder. A special test on the bone marrow after biopsy shows that 70% of plasma cells to be abnormal and we have been told there is no doubt that the myeloma will progress.
His immune system is strong and is keeping the myeloma at bay and docs have chosen not to radiate shoulder spot until it becomes problematic.We now face testing 3 monthly.
Is this the best way to treat his condition? Watch & wait is extremely stressful on everyone.
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Re: Watch and wait recommended - not sure if best approach
Hi KateAustralia, I am sorry to hear about your husband's progression to active myeloma.
I don't know about radiation therapies, but would you soon be starting on anti-myeloma first line drug therapy? I am not sure how this is approached in your country, or whether there is a limit of numbers of cycles of chemotherapy that are given either. Could this sort of consideration have a bearing on the 'watch and wait' strategy?
Maybe other Australians can weigh in on this.
I don't know about radiation therapies, but would you soon be starting on anti-myeloma first line drug therapy? I am not sure how this is approached in your country, or whether there is a limit of numbers of cycles of chemotherapy that are given either. Could this sort of consideration have a bearing on the 'watch and wait' strategy?
Maybe other Australians can weigh in on this.
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Nancy Shamanna - Name: Nancy Shamanna
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Self and others too
- When were you/they diagnosed?: July 2009
Re: Watch and wait recommended - not sure if best approach
Kate I found this document in another post a few weeks back, it is a guideline for Australian doctors treating myeloma.
http://www.myeloma.org.au/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=55A0pOby0WQ%3d&tabid=40
Frontline treatment tends to be Velcade/ Cyclophosphamide/ Dex (it was for me) but I presume there are all sorts of factors to be taken into consideration.
Good luck and hope this helps. Andy (from Perth W.A)
http://www.myeloma.org.au/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=55A0pOby0WQ%3d&tabid=40
Frontline treatment tends to be Velcade/ Cyclophosphamide/ Dex (it was for me) but I presume there are all sorts of factors to be taken into consideration.
Good luck and hope this helps. Andy (from Perth W.A)
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MattSchtick - Name: Andy
- Who do you know with myeloma?: me
- When were you/they diagnosed?: Feb27 2014
- Age at diagnosis: 61
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