Friday, December 5, 2008
What Went Wrong With the Stem Cell Transplant?
Kimmie, my Denver cousin, asked a question on the old blog site. That site doesn't work so good so I'll answer that here. Why did cancer come back after the stem cell transplant? Simple answer: My Immune System Is Stupid. It doesn't know that cancer cells are bad things. Apparently, according to Dr. Selby, one or a few cancer cells slipped past the barrage of chemo drugs, or the sack of stem cells that were harvested from me before the transplant contained a cancer cell or two. Nobody knows for sure, but Selby told me prior to the SCT that there was about a 50% chance that the NHL would be cured with that treatment. So, there was a 50% chance it could come back and I fell on the wrong side of those odds. At this time, a technical fact about NHL is that it is not curable, but responds well to treatment. There are increasing reports of cures, or at least longer remissions, as treatments improve. Anyway, I'm confident that we can keep beating this thing down and a sure cure will be discovered.
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9 comments:
There always has to be a first for a cure and I believe the first one has the name of "Scott Wilson" and may your name go down in the medical history books! Amen! :)
Thanks for explaining that. I was wondering the same thing. Stupid 50/50 chances!
I have a friend that I dated in my early 20's who is needing a bone
marrow transplant. They are having a bone marrow tesing for anyone who wants to put into the bank and to see if we can find him a match. I will be going in for that on Wednesday. He is now married with 4 children. His oldest son just beat a cancerous brain tumor. Keep the Jansen family in your prayers also.
Linda Stack
Well, Crap. 50/50. Is that the same with someone elses, too? (Aside from the fact you'd have to take rejection drugs, I assume, and their set of problems..)Scott, I have no doubt you'll round this up...and kick it's ass. On the cytopenias you'll encounter..can you take Epogen or Procrit to keep your cell levels up, or is this not appropriate in your case?
I'm thinking about you and sending them up to the big guy.. Oh, and if you start to moo, well, you're family, we'll still love you.
Kimmie
Kimmie, that's a good question about getting Procrit or something like it. I did ask Dr. Thompson if any of that type drug would be prescribed. He said no. In prior treatment regimens I did have Neulasta, a similar drug, that stimulates production of red blood cells and helps prevent fatigue and anemia. Prior to the stem cell transplant I had to give myself daily injections (5 a day) of a drug to stimulate peripheral marrow stem cells. I don't remember the name of that drug. It's purpose was to ensure that I had enough stem cells to harvest.
Anyway, I prefer to eat meat. It tastes better.
Oh, I forgot to address the 50/50 thing. A donor stem cell transplant (Allogeneic) tends to have a higher percentage of remission. But, the risks associated with that procedure are higher, like rejection, as you said. A donor SCT is still an option if the Bexxar doesn't work, but I'm feeling pretty good about the path we're on now.
Oh, and with the SCT I don't get as much MEAT.
Well, as long as you don't form a long swishy tail, big ol' eyes and Holstein spots, COW away....
Another question, will you get terribly sick with the Bexxar, since it's just two treatments?
Oh, (God, I can't resist) did you know Denver is an old COWtown?
Kimmie
On a more serious note..that Scotch Clinical Trial--you might want to use a placebo until your platelets come back- alcohol puts you at a big risk for GI bleeding! Then, you'd have to eat EVEN MORE COW. ;)
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