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Low platelets
Hi Layla,
As far as I understand you have to have 20% blast cells or more in the bone marrow to get the dx AML - it is not possible to tell a patient that he/she has transformed to AML without a bone marrow biopsy (BMB).
It is true that a BMB can be very painful. Some patients want to get sedated. I have very severe fibrosis and don't feel the BMBs because the doctor can't aspirate. It is the aspiration that hurts. It is OK to do a BMB in your mother's condition but if she does't accept it that should of cause be respected. I don't think the info from a BMB will change the treatment.
The problem with platelet transfusions is that the patients often get "resistent" and that is probably what has happened with your mother. There are drugs for low platelets - Promacta (Revolade in the EU) and Nplate but none of them is approved for MDS. Good that you continue with Prednisone.
Her platelets will hopefully increase when the adverse effects from Cytarabine and Revlimid are decreasing.
Kind regards
Birgitta-A
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