[alyasa]

I am not sure if this will help. I can only recommend to you the posts by our beloved Birgitta who was on this list and was a medical professional. The excellent links and posts helped us through many a difficulty. And I hope your dad gets back health and quality of life.

There is much uncertainty about how Vidaza works. To manage side effects, a great deal of water (like 1.5 to 2 litres per day) seems to help my dad. Others on the forum also recommended lots of water prior to, and after the vidaza cycle.

On the one hand, theory is that vidaza "aerates" the silenced genes in stem cells in the marrow. This allows for the production of cells that are functional. Hence stimulants like folic acid and B12 are not recommended (by some doctors) during vidaza treatment as it counteracts the effects of Vidaza.

The above view is not settled as Birgitta pointed us to an NIH study that showed that Neupogen administration does not cause an increase in blasts.

On other hand, the view is that cancerous cells (or stem cells) are cells not fully adapted to their environment. And because of this are "weaker" cells. Vidaza, as a cytotoxin, with a peculiar effect on blood production, then kills off the weaker cells, allowing the stronger more normal cells to produce blood.

I know this is not much help, but it has taken me time to find the contesting views. The first is the mainstream medical view. The second view is held by polymath Nicholas Nassim Taleb and is a general proposition about cancer, cancer research findings.

As far as I am aware, Birgitta did not take up vidaza treatment. But was a font of wisdom! May she have peace.