Hi everyone. I was started on gleevec at the time of diagnosis 7 months ago. Within a few weeks I broke out in a terrible rash and was eventually switched to 100 mg sprycel with good response. My questions is, has anyone been started on a lower dose of sprycel and done okay with it? I know they are starting people at MD Anderson on 50 mg as part of a study. My oncologist said that he is unwilling to start at a lower dose because there is "not enough data." I will be moving at the end of the year so I am hoping to discuss with a new oncologist if my labs remain good.
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Sprycel Reduction Question
Your doctor is misinformed.I was started at 70 mg initially and dropped to 20 mg after a week where I remained for many years. There is a great deal of data on sprycel efficacy at lower dose. In fact, for many patients, lower dose may actually provide a deeper response than a higher dose due to sprycel's high dose immuno-suppressive affect. In the case of sprycel - more drug is not better.
I am currently "undetected" for CML while on 20 mg dose every other day.
Hi.
I was diagnosed November 2019 and started on 100mg sprycel. My counts tanked and I had to stop taking it for several weeks, then was put back on 70mg. Again I was severely immunosuppressed so I went to 50mg. My oncologist did not want to keep my on 50 and decided I needed to switch medication after o my one month, so I sought a second opinion and found a Dr willing to at least get me to my first PCR test on 50mg. I am still immunosuppressed but at 4 months my first PCR is at 3%.
I think I quickly fell into a lower dose because of the immunosuppression and will likely go lower now that I’ve hit a milestone while still being too suppressed, so In a sense I lucked into a lower dose at only 4 months after diagnosis. I can tell you my Dr is very easy to talk to and an incredible person so that helps a lot. I truly believe in second opinions.
I hope this helps.