Teresa, PCR is the most sensitive testing that can be done to detect the leukemia. the U stands for 'undetected'. They have tested a 1,000,000.00 cells from my bmb/bma and found no signs whatsoever of the leukemia. This is considered 'complete molecular remission' and is the deepest level you can reach in today's science. There are also three phases of the disease most everyone is dx in chronic, which is determined by your blood count and blast count. If your hubby is having difficulty with his counts dropping sometimes there is other medications that can get him through until his counts level off, that is a common reaction but most stabilize after a while. If you are looking for some 'great' information about CML, the terminology and info explaining the disease you can go to Yahoo and visit the AsianCML website, the owners of that web Anajana and Roy (hubby and wife) are the best educators I have found and caring wonderful people to boot. They have compiled great material that new diagnosed patients can read that gives you all the starting information you need. Just remember, knowledge is power and with power you can win the fight. I don't recall if you said whether or not your doc is hemotologist/oncologist but the docs the carry both specialties tend to have a better knowledge of CML. My doc stays current on all the new trials and treatment so I feel confident in his care. Keep us posted on how you guys are doing. Brenda
--- In [email protected], "tkabushaban" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > -Thanks so much Brenda, I will definately mention this to his Dr. at > our next visit and I will take the information with me from the > website so that he will hopefully get it. I think that getting that > good, deep response sounds like something we all want and I am sure > he would get used to 400mg if it meant that he would get to > (remission?) faster. By the way what does prcu stand for? sometimes > when I read through these posts, I have a hard time understanding > some of the abbrv. Also, what is the best test available to > determine where you are at with CML, is it the BMB or the FISH, how > do they differ or compare? Sorry to ask so many questions of you, > but you seem very knowledgeable and I think it is important that I > get a good understanding of all of this before we meet with his Dr. > again. Thanks again, > Teresa > > -- In [email protected], "Brenda Morelli" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Yes, the numbers are moving in the right direction and hopefully > > he'll be back at 0 in the next 6 months. I hit pcru between my 9 > and > > 12 month bmb. Minimum dose has been set at '400' mg for some time > > now, you can read that on the Gleevec website or even go to MD > > Anderson website where they are discussing the trials and such. I > > would approach you onc with this information. Lots of people have > > side effects in the beginning and a good majority of them get > > through/over them, for those that continue to be intolerant or > > resistant most have moved on to some of the new trial therapies and > > have done wonderfully. Remission is critical for several reasons, > to > > eliminate the risk of disease progression which makes it harder to > > treat, lowers your chances for mutations, the deeper the remission > > the lower the chance of relapse, however some patients are called > > turtles and are slow moving but continue to move in a downward > trend, > > which is good and acceptable. In my personal opinion the faster > and > > deeper the response the better. I hope your hubby continues his > > great response and is back in remission soon. > > Take care, > > Brenda > > > > --- In [email protected], "tkabushaban" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > - > > > > > > Hi Brenda, > > > His onc said 300 was the minimun dose, he had some trouble > > > tolerating 400mg initially so they backed it off---I don't know > > what > > > is the best thing. Do you think that the BMB results from march > > > saying that 20 out of 20 cells had the translocation means he was > > > 100% phillies? This is the question I really have because if so, > > > than the gleevec is working pretty well for him again if he is > down > > > to 16.8% in about 5 months. What do you think? Teresa > > > > > > -- In [email protected], "Brenda Morelli" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > wrote: > > > > TKA, > > > > From reveiwing below it looks like he's responding, the only > > thing > > > is > > > > most feedback from the specialists is to use a minimum dose of > > > 400mg, > > > > I beleive you said he was on 300mg. > > > > Take care and I hope he goes back in to complete remission soon > > > > Brenda > > > > dx 5/04 > > > > pcru 5/05 > > > > > > > > --- In [email protected], "tkabushaban" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > wrote: > > > > > --- In [email protected], [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > > > > > > Hi: > > > > > > > > > > > > Where do you live? Why did your husband go off the drug > for > > so > > > > > long? I had > > > > > > a big bruise and I have low platelets, and I've been off > for > > a > > > > few > > > > > days. The > > > > > > doc will put me back on ASAP. Of course, I don't mind > being > > > off > > > > > for a short > > > > > > time, but I know that can't last as I'd soon be fullfledged > > > CML. > > > > MJ > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > HI, > > > > > It was a mistake to be off the gleevec, we know that now, > > our > > > > > previous oncologist took him off and we trusted that, > > > unfortunately > > > > > at that time he also quit taking our insurance so we began > > > looking > > > > > for a new onc, of course thinking he was cured the whole time > > so > > > we > > > > > did'nt think it was a huge hurry or anything. We should have > > > > checked > > > > > around and then we would have known not to ever stop the > > > gleevec. > > > > > anyway the new onc is nice but I am not so trusting anymore. > > > > that's > > > > > why I pushed so hard for the FISH. I feel I have to monitor > > the > > > > > progress now and not just be passive in this. TKA ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Help save the life of a child. Support St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. http://us.click.yahoo.com/xDyn3B/lbOLAA/xGEGAA/8zSolB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> New! Sign up for local CML support group meetings in your local community at http://cml.meetup.com Apply for Commercial Real Estate loans online and submit your deal to dozens of hungry lenders in just minutes. Loan programs for all types of business and commercial real estate. 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