Quote:
Originally Posted by Alison
Hi There
With the improvement of drugs would you say that at 61 years of age my Dad would be too old for SCT considering all that you went through? He is pretty fragile although his third cycle of Vidaza seems to have improved his counts.
Regards
Alison
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Hi, Alison.
I don't think age has as much to do with it as the patient's overall condition. Certainly the stronger, "healthier" person will be better able to withstand the side effects of the treatments and medications. Pre-transplant evaluations look at all of the body's systems to be sure there isn't one particularly weak point--such as heart or lungs--that might preclude transplant. I'm guessing that your Dad would have to be off Vidaza for a month? two months? before he could be transplanted.
A reduced-intensity transplant (sometimes called a mini-transplant) as Birgitta refers to, might be suitable. His doctor can advise you about the kind of protocol that would be used. Don't be discouraged by the survival rates reported in the medical literature as no one person is the "average" they predict. If half the people lived less than 2 years, then half lived longer!
Regards,
Ruth