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Test Results

Hello Everybody, I'm so glad I've found this forum - everyone is so supportive and knowledgeable!

I'm Lynette from Sydney Australia. I was diagnosed with CML on Friday the 13th of February 2015. After 10 days on Hydrea, I was prescribed Dasatnib/Sprycel 100mg/day - I'm responding very well to treatment and the ABL-BCR levels keep dropping at every test.

Without meaning or wanting to sound really ignorant, I think I may have achieved MMR - but this hasn't been confirmed by my Haematologist... can someone please decipher my results

BCR-ABL at 10 weeks since diagnosis - 1.1%

BCR-ABL at 6 months since diagnosis - 0.56%

BCR- ABL at 9 months since diagnosis - 0.23% log reduction 2.85

BCR-ABL at 11 months since diagnosis - 0.027% log reduction 3.57

So, am I at MMR???

I'm quite reluctant to pester the staff at my clinic and I don't want to waste my doctors' time when there are so many other obviously sick people that need help - I'm not now, nor have I ever been sick like the other cancer patients... I really don't belong there! 

Very appreciative to anyone that can confirm my suspicions.

Keep Well and stay fabulous, Lynette Black

Hi Lynette,

Firstly, you shouldn't be worried about "pestering" your doctors. That's one of the thing they are there for!

MMR is defined as 0.1% on the International Scale. So, if your results are reported as IS values, then YES, your most recent result puts you in MMR.

BUT, you might find that your results are not reported as IS. I know mine are not, and a "conversion factor" has to be applied to get the IS number. For example, a result of 0.2% at somewhere that has a conversion factor of 0.4 would be 0.08%. Similarly, if the conversion factor was 1.5 then it would be 0.3%. Does that make sense?

Even if your results are not IS reported, it's unlikely that the conversion factor would be a multiplier of almost 4 (which it would need to be to push your most recent result to over 0.1%) - so either way you are very likely to be in MMR.

I think the next question you need to ask of your doctors is whether your results are reported as IS numbers, and if not what is their labs IS conversion factor.

David.

 

Hi David, thank you for replying so quickly and thank you immensely for confirming MMR!!!

Yes, the results are in accordance with IS and thank you very much for clarifying the differences between IS and non-IS results. I knew I had good numbers this time, but not having this 'milestone' confirmed or mentioned by my Professor was a tad confusing.

Once again thank you for your help and have a wonderful weekend, Lynette Black

That's great Lynette - getting to MMR in under a year is a great result.

At 0.027% you are not too far off MR4 (a 4 log drop from 100%) - which is an even deeper level of response than MMR (which is the same as MR3 - a 3 log drop from 100%). 

David.

Lynette,

congratulations on an excellent response to TKI therapy (MMR or MR3 IS)... and welcome to this forum,

Sandy

Take that as excellent news and a great result.  

Welcome here

Thank you Sandy, David and Darley... excellent results that just keep on getting more excellent by the minute! Also, thank you to everyone who contributes to this wonderful site... i've not found any sites even remotely like 'CML Support' in Australia - all of the 'blood peculiarities' get lumped together on one site in my part of the world and for some reason the local sites don't seem to be frequented. I haven't met another Aussie with CML and don't have anyone local that can relate to what we're all experiencing. I find it incredibly useful to read about peoples experiences and read the questions that are posted and answers that are provided by other people thriving - not just surviving - with CML. I refuse to be sick and I don't do 'doom and gloom'... CML Support is full of positive, supportive, switched-on and upbeat people - not a hint of doom or gloom here... If i do stumble upon another Aussie with CML I'll happily point them in this direction!!! LB