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Dasatinib - side effects?

My mum, aged 73 has just started to take dasatinib, as she was not achieving a lowering of her PCR on gleevec. She has started on 70mg per day, but is worried about possible side effects. The Doctor has gone through these with her, but we are not sure how common these side effects are or how many people experience side effects. Does anyone have any comments on how they have got on with dasatinib, after taking gleevec? In the past, she has had to have weekly injections to boost her neutrophil count. Is this likely to be required with dasatinib? Sorry to ask so many questions, but she wants to find out as much as possible and she likes to learn about the various treatments (she has had CML for a long time). Any comments or feedback would be very helpful indeed. She is seen at Hammersmith Hospital.
Thanks, Annette

Hello Annette
Hope I can help you and your Mum, I went onto dasatinib in November 2006, after five years on Glivec (sti 571) due to Glivec treatment 'plateauing' and values becoming stationary. I had to be on a low dose as my platlets disappear very rapidly if a high dose was used. I started into dasatinib after a couple of weeks lay-off from Glivec, and all went well, apart from the Hb value dropped to 10.6 where it has stayed, this did cause a tiredness that has remained, but not so ba as cannot be overcome by taking judicious rest breaks. The plus side of dasatinib, is that even with the low dose of 50mg, my platlets have nt become a problem, and are infact recovering and showing a slight increrase along with the wbc level, so no longer do you bruise so easily, nor worry about sharp implements such as knives etc. The good news is thatwith the increased strength of dasatinib, it has taken my pcr down to .074/.08 which has never been within our grasp ever. I really have had no othr side effects at all, I take the pill at the same time every day, in the same manner as I used to take Glivec, in between mouthfuls of food at main meal of the day, which for us is the evening, no ill effects at all.
Hope that I have eased your mind on dasatinib, but if you need any furher help, I am at Hammersmith on 11th June, or keith.pratt@tesco.net, will find me. Wish you well with the new meds, you are in good hands.
Have fun and keep smiling
Keith

Thanks Keith for your helpful comments. Mum was pleased to hear your story and how you have got on. I will let you know if she will be at Hammersmith on 11th June. At the moment she is going up there pretty regularly. I know she would be pleased to meet you for a chat. Best wishes and thanks, Annette

It is really useful to know what the common (and even uncommon) side effects are so that you know to watch out for them. I can't help directly (having been on glivec 400mg since 2003) but don't know if you've tried Jerry's site on the home page. There is an active forum there discussing sprycel (dasatinib) and by scrolling through it's easy enough to get an overview of some of the side effects - word of warning though is that naturally it is people who have had problems who tend to post so do not get depressed that you mum will get all the possible side effects....
Best of luck with the dasatinib.
Annie