Hi everyone, i just get my first PCR results (3 months) and the result was 14,41% IS (25% ratio). Althought this is not a great result, i think it's good because i had a high leukemic burden when i was DX. My CBC was ok: 4.400 wbc (2.100 ANC), 15.5 HB and 86 k (again) platelets. I hope i can continue in this way. Now i'm waiting for my cytogenetics. Peace!
You are here
sub-optimal, but good
Hey Lucas,
That's not a bad result at all. There's a lot of talk about a marker of 10% at 3 months, but it's more individual than that really. If it's any help, I started off with a 321% PCR and after 3 months I was at 76%. After 4 months I was at 22%. I am now at 1% (last result) and with any luck with the next one that comes through, I'll be even lower. And even though I have not hit any of the markers I would ideally have got, I'm doing really well.
My doctor said that a 10% PCR usually is about the same as a 0 on the cytogenetics - sort of. So you could already be in CCyR, or at least close to it.
David.
Hi Lucas,
congratulations, a good result for you... even if it is not what you hoped for it is pretty much very near the 3m 10% IS mark. The next 'goal' is CCyR (1.5% - 0%) at 6 months. Remember these figures describe an 'optimal' response and translate into an overall percentage of risk (of progression) over the longer term (8 years I think). For a significant majority, as long as you achieve MR3 in a reasonable amount of time then the risk of progression is still minimal.
The good think is that you have 'responsive disease'. There are a small number of people who have primary resistance or more complex disease, who may not respond to any of the available TKIs so this group of people may need other interventions like SCT etc. But this is a very small percentage of people diagnosed in chronic phase.
Whether the TKI you are currently being treated with is the best one for you as an individual is another matter, but I agree, your initial response has been very good.
Best wishes,
Sandy
Hi
You just can't tell what's going to happen - I had a fast drop below 10% in 3 months, but after 12 months I got to 0.2% and stayed right there for nearly a year (worryingly above MMR) until the 24 month test, where it suddenly dived by a further 0.6 log to 0.035.
Despite near 100% adherence, nobody knows why it hung around that level.
It really is a marathon, with TKI's!
Rod
Hi everyone,
I went to an appointment today. it was ok. my doctor wasn't so impressed with my PCR, but wasn't too disappointed too. She told me that heard about few cases of lost of reponse with generic glivec - one guy had an optimal response and when switch to generic went to blast phase and died (not a good thing to hear). I'm on glivec (brand) for 3 weeks, so i hope i can have a better response.
Thanks everyone for the feedback. I'm not much worried, i had a better response than i thought. It's a marathon and we have some options. :)
Regards