SCT club

Sal0101
Sal0101 Member Posts: 136 Member
in Lymphoma (Hodgkin and Non-Hodgkin) #1

Well my DLBCL has returned.  The plan of action is ptretty much what I have read on this forum and am greatful to have learned from all the different posts.  I will start R-ICE on Monday and work up to a stem cell transplant.  

What can I expect with the R-ICE as compared to R-Chop?  

Sharon

Comments

  • po18guy
    po18guy Member Posts: 1,465 Member
    #2
    It's icky

    Ask doctor if they have heard about TREC. It is a new combo, developed at Fred Hutchinson. Its main advantages over ICE are that it is less toxic and it is given on an out-patient basis, rather than in-hospital. It is Treanda (Bendamustine), Rituxan, Etoposide and Carboplatin. It is designed for B-Cell Lymphomas, but eradicated two dozen tumors and small intestine involvement in a T-Cell Lymphoma that had mutated into two types. 

    Generally, ICE is a tough regimen, and that is one reason for the development of TREC. However, there is no guarantee that even TREC will work, or that your facility uses it yet. 

  • lindary
    lindary Member Posts: 711 Member
    #3
    RICE

    When the 6 cycles of R-Chop didn't get all of the cancer I did 3 cycles of RICE in preparation for SCT, which never did happen. R-Chop meant spending a day at my local oncologist for the treatment. I'd bring my own snacks, reading material and sometime the daily crossword puzzle. 

    For RICE I would check into the hospital on Thur. They started the drugs that afternoon. As one was done they did they next right through Sat night, except for the Rituxan. I went home on Sunday.  The Rituxan was insured with my local oncologist. No one wanted to deal with the insurance to change it over to the hospital for 3 cycles of Rice so I went to my local oncologist on Monday for the Rituxan and Neulasta. 

    Anything in the hospital means little sleep. Somehow my body managed to time the bathroom visits right about the time the nurse would come in to take vitals. food, it's hospital food. Enough said. Even though I was geting saline I also made sure I was drinking water. I had both my laptops with me so I worked during the day, until supper. Then after supper I would play on my own laptop. One thing I didn't do enough of was walk. I figured it was just 3 days. Bad plan. I should have taken a 15 mins walk 2 or 3 times a day.

    I've never had nausea and RICE was no exception to that. It did seem to knock my blood counts down but they would be back to "normal" by the time for the next cycle. I had more fatigue but that may have been because there was no Prednisone to get me past those first few days after the treatment stopped. Before the third cycle I had to get a transfusion because the red count was too low. When I went in for the third, and last, RICE I needed another transfusion before and during the treatment. 

    Basically I usually napped in the car on the way home and then slept on the couch for a couplf of hours. On Monday I would just about sleep through the Rituxan treatment. I did kil my sense of taste more than the R-Chop. 

    I hope this helps you a little Sharon. 

     

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