A Treatment Plan instead of a Training Plan

My diagnosis in January that I have a blood cancer, multiple myeloma, came with a treatment plan. My local hematologist/oncologist offered the most common plan using Revlimid, Velcade and dexamethasone. I decided to see a specialist for a second opinion about the treatment plan. Some family members had gone to the Dana Father Cancer Institute with good results and recommended that I consider it.

I was able to get an appointment in less than two weeks, so I made plans to go to Boston to meet with Dr Shonali Midha. This appointment went well. Since my cancer cells have a genetic mutation that is considered high risk, Dr Midha recommended a four drug plan which added Darzalex (dararumumab) to the three drug "standard" plan. My local doctor agreed to treat me according to the Dana Farber plan.

Treatment started in early March. Darzalex and Velcade are given by subcutaneous injection at the hematology/oncology office. Revlimid and dexamethasone are taken at home as tablets. Treatment is managed in cycles of four weeks. I have completed 6 cycles in preparation for a stem cell transplant. It gives the best chance to get rid of the cancer for the longest remission.

Treatment has been an easy experience in most ways. Side effects were minor inconveniences - mostly constipation and minor fatigue. As the treatment got the intended results I felt better and better. Cancer markers in my blood were reduced by 85%.

The transplant is scheduled for late September at Dana Farber. My own stem cells will be collected, then I will get high dose chemotherapy and then will get my stem cells back. The goal of this is to wipe out any and all cancer cells in my body. Since the chemo will also kill a lot of good cells, my immune system will be wiped out. The reinfusion of the stem cells will result in the recovery or rebuilding of my immune system.

This is a very strenuous process, so a thorough health screening is required to determine whether the patient is well enough to go through it. It generally takes a minimum of three months to recover from the transplant. Since the immune system is rebuilding from scratch, avoiding infection is the biggest concern.

My next post will be a day by day description of the process and how I'm doing.