tAML

jidawgs
jidawgs Member Posts: 1
edited March 2014 in Leukemia #1
A dear friend to me has been diagnosed with secondary AML due to previous breast cancer treatment. They just tried the GO chemo during her first induction phase. There were still 3% blasts left on day 15. She started a different chemo today. If she achieves CR it is almost certain she would have to have a BMT to survive. I have a few questions...how bad is it to still have blasts cells after induction 1? and then why is there a period after induction and/or consolodation before they start a bone marrow transplant? Why not do it immediately once CR is achieved.
Thanks and God bless,
ji

Comments

  • MiraT
    MiraT Member Posts: 15
    #2
    I'm so sorry to hear about your friend. It must be so devastating to have secondary AML as a rsult of previous treatment. There are plenty of people who don't achieve CR after their first induction and go on to have subsequent successful treatments. It isn't good to need two inductions, but it certainly isn't a death sentance. A patient may have to wait to get a bone marrow transplant if a donor isn't readily available. If your friend doesn't have a sibling donor, her doctors will have to perform a search in the National Marrow Donor Registry to find a match for her. Once a match is found further testing is performed on the donor to ensure that they are a good match. Median waiting time for a transplant is 3 months. Consolidation may be needed if the testing is taking a long time. You and your friend are in my thoughts. I wish her the best of luck with treatment. Feel free to contact me about any further questions.

    ~ Mira

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