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Rising number of blood cancer patients dying of Covid in England and Wales

Rising number of blood cancer patients dying of Covid in England and Wales

Ministers have been accused of failing to protect the most vulnerable people from rising Covid cases after it emerged that people with blood cancer now account for a higher proportion of coronavirus deaths than earlier in the pandemic.

With daily case numbers at record highs as a result of the Omicron variant, charities warn that people with suppressed immune systems who had been helped to shield at the start of the pandemic felt obliged to put themselves at risk at work, were confused about how to access treatments and less likely to have protection from vaccines.

More than 3,000 people with blood cancer – just over 1 in 100 of all those who have the disease in England and Wales – have died of Covid, according to analysis of official data by Blood Cancer UK. This is despite these patients having spent long periods shielding to avoid contact with the virus.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/dec/19/more-blood-cancer-patients...

Good policies are announced by Government to protect Blood Cancer patients from COVID-19 including vaccines and anti-viral drugs. The problem it that the NHS appears not to have the systems and capability to implement policy. By now, a Blood Cancer patient should receive an anti-viral drug within 48 hours of a positive COVID-19 test, but can the NHS deliver this?

I mentioned this comment to my doctor this morning, I was under the impression we (Cmls) were as safe as anyone else after having are booster jabs, but are problem is the recovery side of covid, he mentioned that as soon as I’m eligible to get the 4th jab (booster) so caution is still my priority!

peter

It very much depends on the type of blood cancer. Blood cancer is a broad label and CML is not in the risk profile in comparison to B-cell lymphocytic cancer:

https://www.cancer.gov/news-events/cancer-currents-blog/2021/covid-vacci...

This is very important to understand. Our immune system has two major branches - Cells which fight virus' (i.e. lymphocytes) and cells which fight bacteria (myelogenous, i.e. neutrophils). CML is a myelogenous cancer affecting the myeloid line of cells. We (who are not in remission) in much bigger risk of dangerous bacterial infections as opposed to viral infections. Lymphocytes are not affected in CML (in remission). This is why people who have CML and are in remission are at no higher risk than the normal population - and very low risk if vitamin D level is high (i.e. > 55 ng/ml).

Lymphocytic blood cancer, however, is a very different problem and effects the very cells needed to fight covid. In fact, as the article above points out, Covid vaccines do not cause as much a protective response in people with active B-cell leukemia's. Unfortunately, treatment for B-cell is not as advanced as treatment for CML. And the vaccines are a problem in the risk of ADE as Covid mutations occur.

 

 

 

Scuba - Thanks for the clarification.  I too thought that was a broad umbrella when I read the headline of the article.  I will be getting my second of two shots next month but don't feel that I am at any greater risk.  My family had COVID last year and honestly my wife and son's symptoms were worse than mine.  I am not anti-vax, nor do I think that COVID has not affected people and their families very seriously, but it has by and large been the elderly and those with pre-existing conditions that are seriously affected.  And even those in that category will more than likely have COVID for a few days and recover.  All of the extreme measures for every single person without thinking of whether it makes sense is scary to me.  Scarier than COVID.  COVID is here to stay and thankfully the vast, vast, majority of people will recover.

This is a key statement you made:

"My family had COVID last year and honestly my wife and son's symptoms were worse than mine."

Anyone who has gone through CML - especially those who were in accelerated phase with extreme leukemic WBC counts, anemia and related and are now in remission with either very low or undetected bcr-abl had their entire myeloid blood system (and lymphocytes too!) replaced. The bone marrow went into overdrive regenerating the immune system from the few remaining normal stem cells to replace the leukemic ones.

It's like Ebeneezer Scrooge ...

Did you not know that Scrooge was one of the most generous persons to have ever lived! It's true. Scrooge gave more than any other moneyed class person of his day. So much that Tiny Tim survived. Of course we remember Scrooge differently, but that is not how he ended up. He did need a bit of help to get there (like a TKI!), but he did become a beloved figure opposite how he started out.

Same with CML. If you had/have CML - it's cancer and it must mean your immune system is weak. All true - except when it's not. Surviving CML so that our normal blood system is regenerated and makes it so much stronger than before! It's hard to fathom, but so much research is showing this to be true (Valter Longo, Ph.D, USC and others).

Add in vitamin D to activate the T-cell response (and calming after the fact to avoid hypoxia) to Covid and frankly - Covid is not an issue for CML patients in remission.

I don't have firm data, but I hypothesize that any CMl patient in remission (i.e. PCR < 0.1%) or "undetected" either hasn't had Covid or it was mild especially if vitamin D is above 55 ng/ml. I do wonder how many CML patients in remission were hospitalized with Covid. I asked my oncology doctor and he said none he was aware. He is concerned for his CLL patients.

I understand the fear. I truly do. I have a fear of heights (vertigo) - so I avoid walking bridges. Perfectly safe, but I avoid them. People wear masks. I don't unless forced. https://greatgameindia.com/list-30-studies-mask-useless-covid-19/

In 1992, George Carlin, the comedian was prophetic. Watch is "germs" skit. It's funny and it's true.