[CarolsymonsParticipant]

Just picked up last week's blood test and para protein isn't 5 as I was told but 7, down from 10, but the best news is that lambda light chains have dropped from 549 to 191 in the latest 3 weeks of CTD. I am one happy bunny tonight!

But the transplant doctor told me that even if my numbers were zero earlier, they will still make me do 18 weeks of CTD before next steps….why???

Carol

[DaiCroParticipant]

Hi Carol,

Plenty of good news and indicators for your progression to your SCT. If your medics have set 6 Cycles of CDT as your target then they will stick to it… for your sake.

I also had CDT and my KLC's dropped from 3500 to O after only 3 Cycles – they were down to 10 (ish) after only 2 Cycles. They then gave me one more Cycle to ram home the advantage before stopping my treatment in order to get the SCT preparation and the SCT itself done before Xmas. I din't get it done due to an infected Hickman Line… but that's another story.;-)

My medics said that they like to get the KLC's down to zero and keep them there for 3 Cycles before stopping the frontline treatment… which I more or less did. You don;t say how many Cycles you have had… but you are almost at zero and you may well make it at the next completed cycle.:-)

If you level at 0 and then get consolidation with the next cycle they might stop treatment… but if they insist on 6 Cycles I would follow their advice… If you want to go for a SCT that is. If you choose not to go for a SCT then the 6 Cycles of CDT will give you a greater advantage.8-)

Regards

Dai.

[CarolsymonsParticipant]

Thanks Dai what you say makes sense to me now…I have just completed 3 cycles of CDT and plan to have a transplant. Wow you had a fantastic response with your light chains didn't you? Let's hope mine keep moving downwards now they have started to move. I have been reading about minimal residual disease, which is the optimum for transplant and as well as less than 5% cells in BMB you need a normal heavy light chain ratio. Right now my ratio is 0.02 and it needs to be higher than 2! As my lambda numbers drop though, this will continue to improve, so once again it is fingers crossed, keep swallowing the pills and STAY PATIENT! (message to self)

Carol

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