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Hope,
As usual, Neil is giving you great advice. To reiterate some points, it is probably better to get any workup testing done at the facility that you are going to do a transplant with in the future, or at least have the testing coordinated with your oncologist. Second, the workups are only good for a short period of time since MDS can move slowly or rapidly, or shift between the two without giving you a courtesy call to say what it is doing. Lastly, just because you have had a workup done, it does not mean that you have to go through with the procedure. That is your choice right on up until it is done. The tricky and potentially expensive part is insurance coverage and the potential need for pre-approvals, which may cause further delays.
I did see one more question about blasts. I could not find the article right away, but there has been some research that shows that there is a number around 13% marrow blasts that you want to be below prior to transplant in order to reduce the risk of relapse the most. It is only one study and I cannot speak to the strength of the study and its ability to predict outcomes, but it is one reference point to work off of.
Good luck working through your decisions. Trust your doctors, ask good questions, make sure you are comfortable with the answers before proceeding.
Dan
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MDS RCMD w/grade 2-3 fibrosis. Allo-MUD Feb 26, 2014. Relapsed August 2014. Free and clear of MDS since November 2014 after treatment with Vidaza and Rituxan. Experiencing autoimmune attack on CNS thought to be GVHD, some gut, skin and ocular cGVHD. Neuropathy over 80% of body.
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