Stemcell transplant

dino · Posted: Fri Jan 25, 2008 7:27 am Post subject: Stemcell transplant

New to the site.
hi to everyone who uses the forum.
Im 43ys old and was told i had mm in november 2007 my protine level was 28.7%.I have been taking chemo,thelidamide and dexamethazone for 8 weeks now and my count is down to 11% so the treatment seems to be working.
I am hoping to have either a stem cell transplant or a unrelated doner bone marrow transplant in may/june 08 and have been told that with the stem cell transplant the cancer will come back in 18 months to 2 years, with the doner transplant theres a 25% chance i wont make it out of hospital.
what i would like to know is,has anyone who has had a stem cell transplant had remission for longer than 18 months to 2 years.

hopefully someone will reply to this....thankyou

brainman · Posted: Fri Jan 25, 2008 2:09 pm Post subject: Re: Stemcell transplant

Hi Dino, Multiple Myeloma is not a very common cancer on this board so I have not personally heard of anyone that has had stem cell transplant and survived for more than 2 years. However, 2 years is a statistical probability, so I assume that some people do live longer.

You are in my thoughts and prayers.
_________________
Jim
Site Administrator and long-term cancer survivor
1992 Astrocytoma grade 2, left motor strip
2005 Recurrence this time said to be an Oligodendoglioma grade 3, same location.
My Story Part 1: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?p=7350
My Story Part 2: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=8029
Blog http://jimhawkinsport.blogspot.com/

MSUBully82 · New User Joined: 28 Feb 2008 Posts: 2

Hi Dino,
Sorry you have joined the MM club. I was diagnosed with myeloma in 2001 at 42 yrs. old. I was considered Stage 1, which is the least advanced stage. I underwent VAD chemotherapy (4 cycles), followed by a stem cell transplant. That was followed by radiation to the site of the original myeloma tumor (my sternum).
I personally know people who were treated at the same clinic as me, who have also gone longer than 2 years without relapse. Three, in fact, have been in remission as long or longer than I.
The outsome for any given patient is going to depend both on the stage of the disease at diagnosis, and how that patient responds to treatment.
Given my experience, there is no way I could recommend a bone marrow transplant from an unrelated donor. That option was not presented to me, by the way. In addition to the probability you will die from the procedure itself, there can be all sorts of problems with graft-vs.-host disease (rejection). Basically, your new immune system will be that of the donor. If it doesn't like your body, there can be severe side effects.
I guess that tells you my opinion. I wish you the best of luck.
Don

brainman · Posted: Thu Feb 28, 2008 4:01 pm Post subject: Re: Stemcell transplant

My ex father in law (father of my ex-wife), had MM for several years. If I am not mistaken, he never really went into remission but lived with MM for more than 5 years (1990-1995). During those years, he was on several chemotherapies and localized radiation to kill specific growths.
_________________
Jim
Site Administrator and long-term cancer survivor
1992 Astrocytoma grade 2, left motor strip
2005 Recurrence this time said to be an Oligodendoglioma grade 3, same location.
My Story Part 1: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?p=7350
My Story Part 2: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=8029
Blog http://jimhawkinsport.blogspot.com/

dino · Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2008 4:28 pm Post subject: stencell transplant

Thanks for the messages
msbully have you been in remission now for 6 yrs then?
i too have stage 1 and am now going for stem cell transplant late may early june, not looking fwd to 4 weeks in hospital though.How did u find the stem cell transplant was it pretty straight fwd or did u have a hard time of it.
ive been told responce to treatment is good my last paraprotine level was down to 6.7% so its still dropping.Also had permidranate drip to keep my bones from getting any damage have to have that once a month for 2 years...
i hope i do as well as u with the remission after the transplant but everyone is different...

jpollard · Regular Joined: 05 Mar 2008 Posts: 11 Location: post,texas

dino, i am brand new to the club also being dignosed in dec 07. started
treatments in jan w/ valcade and dex scheduled for stem cell transplant in mid april everything seems to be going very well so far no problems with the exception of p/n in hands at the end of the cycle but dr has cut back velcade every series and seems to be better and all levels are near back to normal and still dropping hope you do great and we can communicate and compare
good luck
j
was early stage one after breaking left clavicle first in june then again in dec

dino · Posted: Fri Mar 07, 2008 2:54 pm Post subject: Re: Stemcell transplant

hi jpollard
sorry to hear you have mm aswell,sounds like you will be having your transplant before me.i hope all goes well, i would be happy to communicate and compare.....
next dr app 27th hopefully the protein level is still on the way down.....

Mattie · Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2008 10:20 pm Post subject: Stemcell transplant

Dino, JPollard, I am so sorry about your diagnosis. I too am walking down this road. My diagnosis came in 2005 at the age of 43. The day I found out, my whole world turned upside down, and life as I knew it, changed -- but, I refuse to see this as some kind of a great, hairy beast. There is too much life left to live; places to go -- people to see. Shocked

I guess, in a way, this diagnosis was a mixed blessing for me, in an offbeat sort of way. I won't go into detail, but because of my problems, I was presented with the opportunity to go to college, something I wanted no part of when I was young and had the world at my feet. My ambition is to be a writer. I believe I have a story to tell, but then, I'm rambling.
I have been through all the chemo, and I underwent a stemcell transplant (my own) in Aug. 2006. That means that I have been in remission for 20 months now. (To be honest, I did not know that 18 months to 2 years in remission is considered to be an important milestone until I read your post Dino). There were so many unanswered questions that I faced in the beginning; too many decisions to make. I don't know if I was in shock, or if I am just stupid when it comes to anything medical, but I could not understand half of what my doctors were telling me. I'm not gonna lie, I was overwhealmed, and I was terrified -- still am if I allow myself to be, but then, tomorrow is a new day. I am not on any kind of chemo now, just bone builders once a month. My hemotologist/oncologist put me on a four month schedule for return visits. My next appointment is on May 12th. Keep your fingers crossed for me; you will certainly be in my prayers. If you have any questions for me, I will do my best to answer them.
God bless!
Mary
_________________
"What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee."
Psalms 56:3

MSUBully82 · New User Joined: 28 Feb 2008 Posts: 2

Dino,

Well I just now checked this thread again. Yes, 6 years and counting in remission. My cancer clinic handles transplants on an outpatient basis. Patients are only admitted to the hospital if/when they begin running a fever, which the vast majority do. I never ran a fever before my blood counts recovered - very unusual. I did, however, develop a superficial blood clot in my calf, and subsequent infection (very painful). This was an unusual side effect, so don't worry. 4 weeks in the hospital sounds like a long time. I as easing back into work 6 weeks after my transplant, and it would have been sooner if not for the leg problem (I was in the hospital 10 days).

I see your transplant date is coming up in June - I hope the very best for you. Yes, it will be tough - you have only had "baby" chemo so far - the high dose chemo will knock you on your b*tt. But you can do it - just remember it's only a couple of weeks of misery and you will bounce back!

Don

jpollard · Regular Joined: 05 Mar 2008 Posts: 11 Location: post,texas

hey dino,
hope all is going well,just got my catheter put in yesterday will start the 3 days of injections for growth tommorrow then harvesting for 3 to four days, everything has gone very well withall my levels back to normal.
they say it will take 10 to 14 days for the stem cells to get back and should br ready for about the 28th
my biggest problem seemed to be the p/n worst in my feet at the end of my velcade cycles . is getting better daily it seems

dino · Posted: Sun May 11, 2008 3:28 am Post subject: stemcell transplant

hi everyone
just got home from hospital yesterday,spent 19 days in having stem cell transplant.
everything went really well iwas only ill for a few days i say ill, just felt like crap really but after that i was ok.had chemo 1 day then stem cells back the next, then it was just a case of waiting for the bone marrow to die and the stem cells to start growing new marrow.

Dont know when my first blood test will be but it will be intresting to see what my para protein level is it should be zero i suppose.Ill keep u posted.

dino......

jpollard · Regular Joined: 05 Mar 2008 Posts: 11 Location: post,texas

that sounds great dino, i go in the 28th for my transplant just finished harvest on thurs and all seemed fine said they had enough for two transplants, one for way down the road i hope .
sounds like you did great
hope all continues
jay

brainman · Posted: Sun May 11, 2008 1:56 pm Post subject: Re: Stemcell transplant

Dino, I am very happy to hear that the transplant went weal and that you are already home. You continue to be in my thoughts and prayers.
_________________
Jim
Site Administrator and long-term cancer survivor
1992 Astrocytoma grade 2, left motor strip
2005 Recurrence this time said to be an Oligodendoglioma grade 3, same location.
My Story Part 1: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?p=7350
My Story Part 2: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=8029
Blog http://jimhawkinsport.blogspot.com/

dino · Posted: Mon May 12, 2008 4:28 am Post subject: stem cell

hi jay
That sounds great hope you do as well as i did, the worst part was dealing with the boredom as your confined to a room the whole time.I took my own tv in with me which was great to have.

My thoughts are with you......
Dino..

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