Post SCT.

Hi John J19 and welcome over to our little corner of the community.

I see that you have Myeloma so very different to my Non Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and we have only had a few folks come through the group who had Myeloma.

I have been helping out on this group for over 5 years now and as far as I can remember I have not heard of folks having more chemo so quick after their Allo SCT.

A few people have had their Allo SCT fail so had to go back on treatment. In my case my graft failed within 6 months so I went back on treatment then had a second Allo SCT 10 months later (hit my community name for my story) and I am now coming up to 6 years out.

Yes many have treatments for GvHD, Donor Lymphocyte Infusions (DLIs) follow up/ maintenance treatments but I have not seen anyone say chemo.

When you say your ‘excellent consultant’ is this your Haematologist or SCT consultant?…… I just ask this to raise the question is your two teams talking with each other.

I am sure that your clinical team know exactly what they are doing but my logical mind is thinking what does more chemo so early on do to your new immune system?

Keep asking your team to explain this more…. always around to chat.

Exactly Mike, I'm dumstruck  and should of asked more on Thursday whilst there but think it overwhelmed me so will have to bring this up beforehand. 

My hematology consultant has run all of my treatments and said the chemo is part of the complete package with 6 cycles, 4 before and 2 after SCT..

Worth a call to get some clear information as this will help you get your head round it better.

The question I would be asking is if we use chemo as our conditioning to take our immune system down and jet wash our bonemarrow what will this ‘chemo’ do to your new graft.

Hi Mike,I've just noticed I put allo instead of auto SCT.Would you know if this makes a difference to the chemotherapy course post SCT as I dont speak to my consultant until Thursday. Thanks 

Hi, I actually don’t know. An Auto SCT is rather different as the Stem Cells you received are your own so it’s not like the chemo would be attacking a ‘stranger in the house’ that the body see donor Sten Cells during an Allo SCT 

Hi Mike, 

             Just an update after seeing my consultant on Thursday. I'll be receiving 2 full cycles of DVDT and then lenelomide for as long as my body can take it plus the zometa starts back up again. 

This course of treatment gives a much deeper response after a auto SCT and is patient specific and what I can gather from patients in the blood cancer uk forum is a rather new line of attack after week 7.So all in all I think I'm rather lucky and counting my blessings again even after the effects of the DeX kicking in as we speak.

John 

Hi John, a plan is a plan in my book and let’s look for it to do the job.

I have seen so many new developments over the years across the Blood Cancers with a number specific for post SCT.

Back in late 2015 when I had my second Allo SCT I was told that if this failed there were no other treatments in the tool box with only route being palliative care…… 7 years on there are two new treatments I can have if required and that is me with a rare Lymphoma.

Keep us updated.

Thanks Mike