PCR results

Fri, 02/11/2007 - 9:22pm

Hi,

I am 48yrs old and was diagnosed with CML on May 30th. It was picked up early (by a routine blood test). The first few weeks on Glivec were a bit unpleasant (bone pain, nausea, rash, extreme tiredness) but now I feel generally well apart from the usual lack of energy and occasional shortage of breath. I think the hardest part was accepting that I am no longer the healthiest person I know.
On Sept 10th a blood sample was taken for PCR testing and when I got the results, 6 weeks later, I was told that the level had gone down to 5% which my consultant said was "good but not good enough".
Could anyone tell me what level I should hope for at this stage?

Colin

cmlblogger

In reply to Colin Woodall

Sat, 03/11/2007 - 12:35pm

at my last PCR test I was 4.0 and this was after 5 months or so on Glivec, and the Dr's said it was a great response, so I am not entirely sure what is the expected level, so dopwn to 5 after 3-4 motnhs sounds good too

I am no expert thou

Like you I was dx'd at a regular blood test, but i didn't get gleevec for 4 months, for various reasons!!

so maybe you have a very low count to start with, do you know what that was?

rob - http://cmlblog.spaces.live.com

zaviemiller

In reply to Colin Woodall

Sat, 03/11/2007 - 1:12pm

Hi Colin,

Your doctor should be the one telling you what goals he would like for you.

The following is a conservative schedule

CHR - 3 months - complete hematological response
MCR - 12 months - major cytogenic response (< 35% Ph+)
CCR - 18 months - complete cytogenic response (0% Ph+)
MMR - 24 months - major molecular respons (3 log reduction)

Make sure that you get a copy of each of your test rest results. This way you can follow your own progress.

I don't understand your doctors comment that your PCR has gone down to 5%. This would mean that a PCR was done earlier in order to measure the reduction. What was he comparing it to?

In my personal case, my progress on Gleevec was

MCR at 3 months
CCR at 6 months
MMR at 12 months

These results may not be the norm because I was on Interferon a year earlier.

I hope this helps and am looking forward to enrol you in the Zero Club soon.

Zavie

Zavie Miller (age 69)
Ottawa, Canada, dxd AUG/99
INF OCT/99 to FEB/00, CHF
Gleevec since MAR/27/01 (400 mg)
CCR SEP/01. #102 in Zero Club
3.6 log reduction Sep/07

zaviemiller

In reply to Colin Woodall

Sat, 03/11/2007 - 1:48pm

Hi Colin,

Your doctor should be the one telling you what goals he would like for you.

The following is a conservative schedule

CHR - 3 months - complete hematological response
MCR - 12 months - major cytogenic response ( less than 35% Ph+)
CCR - 18 months - complete cytogenic response (0% Ph+)
MMR - 24 months - major molecular respons (3 log reduction)

Make sure that you get a copy of each of your test rest results. This way you can follow your own progress.

I don't understand your doctors comment that your PCR has gone down to 5%. This would mean that a PCR was done earlier in order to measure the reduction. What was he comparing it to?

In my personal case, my progress on Gleevec was

MCR at 3 months
CCR at 6 months
MMR at 12 months

These results may not be the norm because I was on Interferon a year earlier.

I hope this helps and am looking forward to enrol you in the Zero Club soon.

Zavie

Zavie Miller (age 69)
Ottawa, Canada, dxd AUG/99
INF OCT/99 to FEB/00, CHF
Gleevec since MAR/27/01 (400 mg)
CCR SEP/01. #102 in Zero Club
3.6 log reduction Sep/07

wkeeping

In reply to Colin Woodall

Sat, 03/11/2007 - 9:43pm

Colin,

5% sounds good at 3 months, but as Rob and Zavie say, it depends on the initial value. However, the important word is down. "Good but not good enough" at 3 months probably equates to what Zavie is saying - it can take 1 to 2 years to achieve the goal. The important thing is that the trend keeps going down each time. So again, keep the results and then report and compare the trend.

(For comparison I was still 90% at 3 months, down from 100%! That was probably more "okay". I didn't reach 5% till 9 months, but this was still okay as the trend remained firmly downwards.)

Bill

Colin Woodall

In reply to cmlblogger

Sun, 04/11/2007 - 9:09pm

Hi Rob,

Unfortunately I don't know the count was to start with. I will ask next time I see the consultant. Stupid really but I always seem to forget to ask something each time. Thanks very much for your reply.

Regards,

Colin