AML Treatments - Induction/Consolidations Vs. Insuction/Consolidations and Bone Marrow Transplant

wenzman

Hi, I was wondering if someone could help me out there. I have seen postings that some have had just a round of Induction and 3-4 consolidations and some go thru Induction/Consolidations and then a bone marrow transplant. I am confused? My wife has AML M5 and is just getting ready to go in for her 3rd round of Consolidation Chemo and nothing has been mentioned about a bone marrow transplant for her. Are there specific reasons why some only would get a Bone Marrow after going thru the Induction and Consolidations? Is it age driven? How fast you enter remisson? She went into remission right after induction. She had a hard time with 1st consolidation and had to go into hospital again for fevers for 2 weeks but then got better. Her counts came up slowly after 1st consolidation but Dr. put her in for 2nd round of consolidations and her counts have returned to normal so round 3 is coming up if they can get the drug. I am sure most have heard that there is a shortage on ARA-C. Her doctor told her they may do a 4th consolidation depending on how she does on the 3rd one. Any help that someone could give would be appreciated.

Thank You In Advance,

honeybea

AML
Hi I am a AML M5 survior, I was diagnosis in Dec of 2004. I went through Induction and Consolidation first round was 45 days straight through Christmas and New Years. Back home for a few weeks and then back into the hospital for another round. After my second round I developed sweets syndrome and a pulmonary embolism so the doctors told me that my body needed to recover. I was also in remisson. From April of 2005 through March of 2006. MY leukemia returned in March of 2006. The doctors put me back in the hospital at that time and referred me to the transplant team. In May of 2006 I had my first stem cell transplant, and again in August of 2006. I am currently free of my leukemia going on 5 yrs on August 8 of this year 20ll. Everything you are saying about the blood cells is true. She will develope fevers and chills. Somedays she will be so fatigued she won't want to get out of bed. but she needs to. If and when the Drs. decided they want to do a transplant she needs to be walking a mile a day. God Bless and my prayers are with you and your family.

Feenstra

Hi,

Here is a few thoughts on the whole Induction, Consolidation and Transplant issues.
As you know there are different types of AML and the treatment plans are different depending of which type your wife has.

So Induction is the first treatment for a patient to get them into remission. For some patients the first Induction chemotherapy does not get them into remission so the Induction therapy needs to be repeated.

Consolidation or intensification therapy. This chemotherapy is after the patient is in remission and may use different drugs that are designed to kill AML cells that remain after successful induction therapy / remission.

Stem cell transplantation/bone marrow transplantation

A stem cell transplant is a procedure in which the bone marrow is replaced.
Today the procedure is usually called a stem cell transplantation. Because the blood stem cells are what is being transplanted and not actual bone marrow.

There are two types of stem cell transplantation.
1. Allogeneic, (Allo) meaning the stem cells are taken from another person.
2. Autologous, (Auto) meaning the stem cells are from the patient and are harvested from the patient during a remission.

The doctors will talk with you about the risks of this treatment and consider several other factors, such as the type of cancer, results of any previous treatment, and patient’s age and general health.

So there is lots to consider.

I would ask the doctor if Stem Cell Transplantation is a possibility for your wife and when they would consider Transplant as a treatment option.

Good Luck and God Bless!

wenzman

honeybea said:

AML
Hi I am a AML M5 survior, I was diagnosis in Dec of 2004. I went through Induction and Consolidation first round was 45 days straight through Christmas and New Years. Back home for a few weeks and then back into the hospital for another round. After my second round I developed sweets syndrome and a pulmonary embolism so the doctors told me that my body needed to recover. I was also in remisson. From April of 2005 through March of 2006. MY leukemia returned in March of 2006. The doctors put me back in the hospital at that time and referred me to the transplant team. In May of 2006 I had my first stem cell transplant, and again in August of 2006. I am currently free of my leukemia going on 5 yrs on August 8 of this year 20ll. Everything you are saying about the blood cells is true. She will develope fevers and chills. Somedays she will be so fatigued she won't want to get out of bed. but she needs to. If and when the Drs. decided they want to do a transplant she needs to be walking a mile a day. God Bless and my prayers are with you and your family.

Thank you for your email.

Thank you for your email.

wenzman

honeybea said:

AML
Hi I am a AML M5 survior, I was diagnosis in Dec of 2004. I went through Induction and Consolidation first round was 45 days straight through Christmas and New Years. Back home for a few weeks and then back into the hospital for another round. After my second round I developed sweets syndrome and a pulmonary embolism so the doctors told me that my body needed to recover. I was also in remisson. From April of 2005 through March of 2006. MY leukemia returned in March of 2006. The doctors put me back in the hospital at that time and referred me to the transplant team. In May of 2006 I had my first stem cell transplant, and again in August of 2006. I am currently free of my leukemia going on 5 yrs on August 8 of this year 20ll. Everything you are saying about the blood cells is true. She will develope fevers and chills. Somedays she will be so fatigued she won't want to get out of bed. but she needs to. If and when the Drs. decided they want to do a transplant she needs to be walking a mile a day. God Bless and my prayers are with you and your family.

Thank you for your email.

Thank you for your email.

wenzman

honeybea said:

AML
Hi I am a AML M5 survior, I was diagnosis in Dec of 2004. I went through Induction and Consolidation first round was 45 days straight through Christmas and New Years. Back home for a few weeks and then back into the hospital for another round. After my second round I developed sweets syndrome and a pulmonary embolism so the doctors told me that my body needed to recover. I was also in remisson. From April of 2005 through March of 2006. MY leukemia returned in March of 2006. The doctors put me back in the hospital at that time and referred me to the transplant team. In May of 2006 I had my first stem cell transplant, and again in August of 2006. I am currently free of my leukemia going on 5 yrs on August 8 of this year 20ll. Everything you are saying about the blood cells is true. She will develope fevers and chills. Somedays she will be so fatigued she won't want to get out of bed. but she needs to. If and when the Drs. decided they want to do a transplant she needs to be walking a mile a day. God Bless and my prayers are with you and your family.

Thank you for your email.

Thank you for your email.