This topic contains 29 replies, has 17 voices, and was last updated by Helen 12 years, 5 months ago.
Hello all
Unfortunately my last lot of chemo did not have the desired effect on my Myeloma as it bounced back again.I was on valcade, Dex, Bortizombe.My Myeloma seems to get down to about 34 (Bence jones count)then comes straight back with an increase in count.Now being put on DT PACE which means 4 days in hospital and 3 weeks out on a repeating cycle until improvement.SCT is on hold until my count comes down.This is the start of my 3rd lot of treatment and it feels like i am burning my bridges to fast.Anyone else been on DT PACE?
cheers Paul
Hi Paul
Sorry to hear Velcade did not work,I think Andy G had the same treatment,may be it is an age thing as you produce more cels the younger you are ???
You must be feeling a bit down,it,s easy to tell you there is something round the corner but your options are getting reduced,I know some people have had SCT with a higher count might be worth asking the team.
Good kuck with DT Pace. Love Eve
Hello Paul
sorry your treatment has not worked i dont know about DT PACE a lot of treatments are not available to me becauce of renal failure
good luck with it fingers crossed it works
love jo x
Thanks Eve & Jo for the support, its the first time since diagnosis that I have felt really p….. off with it all.I am trying to remain positive but as we say in Yorkshire "By gum" its tough at times.:-)
Hi Paul,
I must say that you are very calm given the circumstances of your treatments so far but DT Pace certainly seems like a big hitter and you don't need to come down too much to start the harvest and SCT processes.
Also, just because your treatments were part of your frontline therapies doesn't mean that you can't try them again when you finally relapse from your long term SCT remission. Velcade is the first stop but it is there because NICE places it there… its role has never meant to gain a potential medium/long-term remission (like a SCT or Revlimid) it is a short, sharp shock treatment to prepare for the 2nd SCT… but NICE insist that everyone has it in the order they have promised payment for… so we all get it whether we need it or not. Revlmid is another matter, so are the new drugs on the horizon such as Carfilzomib et al.
I read several articles regarding CT Pace and fond this one interesting:
[quote]
DTPACE Is Effective Induction for Autotransplantation in Patients With Myeloma.
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) Aug 18 – In patients with previously treated multiple myeloma, the combination of thalidomide and high-dose oral dexamethasone with a 4-day infusion of cytotoxic chemotherapy is effective induction therapy before autotransplantation.
Under a protocol called DTPACE, a multicenter American team treated 236 myeloma patients with 4 days of dexamethasone and thalidomide and 4 days of continuous-infusion cisplatin, doxorubicin,
cyclophosphamide, and etoposide. All patients had previously been treated with at least 2 cycles of standard therapy, but 148 had shown progressive disease during therapy and 55 had chromosome 13
abnormalities.
Led by Dr. Choon-Kee Lee of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock, Arkansas, the researchers report their results in the July 15th issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
According to the study, after 2 cycles of DTPACE, 32% of patients hadachieved partial remission, and 16% had achieved complete ornear-complete remission. The authors call this response rate "remarkable."
Higher response rates were observed in patients with high lactate dehydrogenase levels and in those who received 100% of the DTPACE dose for 2 cycles. Patients with chromosome 13 abnormalities responded as well as other patients, the investigators said.
"The combination of thalidomide with chemotherapeutic agents shows outstanding response rates in patients with myeloma who experience relapse after or are completely or partially refractory to standard chemotherapy," the authors write.
They added, "This study shows a significant therapeutic potential of
the DTPACE regimen and reveals a novel way of managing patients with
myeloma, especially those with high-risk features."[/quote]
Looks good to me… so I wish you all the best with it.:-) 😎
Dai.
Hi Paul
so sorry to hear you are feeling low it's not a nice feeling but things will look up soon I am sure.
Good luck with the DT pace.
Love Teresa.
Hi Paul.
I've had the DT PACE treatment. I only had one cycle of it though and it was deemed to be a failure for me. It didn't bring down my paraprotein levels but there again none of the treatments I've been through have been successful at lowering my levels below the mid 30's.
I coped ok with the DT PACE I didn't have any serious side effects other than my immunity being wiped out. Oh and not needing to shave for several weeks afterwards. It's a bit awkward having 2 lines of drugs going into you 24 hours a day. I had a 5 night stay in hospital. I can't remember what they gave me but I had a to have an infusion for a few hours before they started the DT PACE and afterwards had to hang around for an injection which all added up to a 5 night stay.
I know what you mean about burning bridges I feel my options are running low.
I hope you have better success with it than I had and you get your levels low enough for your sct.
Good luck
Andy
Sorry to hear things are not going to well Paul. You and Andy G seem to be on the same path.
Chins up and Vasbyte my friends.
KIndest regards
David
Hi Paul,
Im sorry to hear your last treatment has not achieved the desired effect. No wonder you feel p****d off. Just read the article on DTPACE that Dai posted, please think positive thoughts, let this be the one to kick the PPs into touch.
Isnt it "Eee by gum?" lol
Take care
Alison
Hello all
Really appreciate the support!
Dai-Thanks for the article, I have found it very helpful and its injected some positive juices back into me.
Andy-Thanks for the insight on your stay in hospital,it does seem we are similar in our issues.
Going to wales this weekend and weather is good so looking forward before hospital on Monday.Fingers crossed this treatment does the job .
cheers Paul
Hi Paul
Fingers and everything else will be crossed that treatment will work. Have a brilliant weekend – enjoy the sunshine
Jean
HI Paul Not heard of DT PACE before, but I hope it works for you Have a brilliant week end
Love
Suex
Dear Paul
So sorry that things aren't going as well as we would have hoped. I can understand you being pxxxxx off! We must all get to the point, from time to time, when things aren't goinmg well, of thinking "is it all worth it?" Good job that at heart you are such a fighter. I know things will work for you – do hang on in there. It is just so frustrating that this MM battle doesn't follow the same path for everyone. I do hope this DT Pace does the trick for you. Shame it didn't for Andy.
Like others are saying, hold on in there, the SCT will happen eventually and we will all be praying for a very long remission for you.
Lots of love.
Mavis xxx
Hi Paul
Sorry its not worked out SO FAR am sure we will have more bridges added as time goes on, stick with it and stay strong
and fingers crossed 🙂
Tom "Onwards and Upwards"
Hi Paul,
I've not heard of this pace treatment but hope it goes well for you and you can then move on to the next stage. Hope you and your family have a great weekend, weather super. Keep those thoughts positive. Remember mind over matter can work. 🙂
You have been so positive so far and remember there will always be other options I am sure of it!!
Vicki and Colin
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