Thank you for sharing this information.
I have had chronic CML for 2.5 years and was put on Sprycel 80 mg. I have done well on Sprycel and was at "not detected" IS% >5 at about 8 months into treatment.
This this fall I developed shortness of breath on exertion and dry cough. The chest x-ray showed small bilateral pleural effusions, lower lobe atelectasis and possible pneumonia. So, I was treated with Doxycycline for possible pneumonia and the cough resolve. After completing the Doxycycline, my oncologist obtained a CT of the chest with showed persistent bilateral small to moderate pleural effusions and took me off Sprycel for 6 weeks. A follow up CT of chest six weeks later showed residual pleural effusion. Over the six weeks the shortness of breath on exertion has improved. I am now at 0.0054 IS%.
My oncologist wants to change the treatment from Sprycel to Gleevec. She did not address the option of considering a lower dose of Sprycel. But now I am reading about treatment options with even lower doses of Sprycel. I am in the U.S. I am wondering why my oncologist did not address the option to go with a lower dose of Sprycel? I believe she may have concerns about recurrent pleural effusions if I stay on the Sprycel, which I have read is a possibility even with a lower dose.
Your thought, Susan