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Dan,
Tytd makes a great point about watch and wait.
That was the decision I made until a subsequent bone marrow showed cytogenetic changes -- i.e., I went from a Chromosome 1 abnormality in 55% of my cells and Trisomy 8 in 5% to both abnormalities in 55%. This got my transplant doc excited, because "the clone is evolving."
When I met with Dr. Olnes at NIH, he said going ahead with the Campath made sense, because immunosuppression tends to work best earlier in the disease, before the T-cell war starts to create additional chromosomal mutations. However, had I chosen not to go with IST, he said he would recommend continued watch and wait rather than Vidaza or transplant, given the relatively low impact of the disease on my quality of life (basically, an RBC transfusion every six months.)
So, watch and wait is definitely a viable strategy.
Good luck!
Greg
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Greg, 59, dx MDS RCMD Int-1 03/10, 8+ & Dup1(q21q31). NIH Campath 11/2010. Non-responder. Tiny telomeres. TERT mutation. Danazol at NIH 12/11. TX independent 7/12. Pancreatitis 4/15. 15% blasts 4/16. DX RAEB-2. Beginning Vidaza to prep for MUD STC. Check out my blog at www.greghankins.com
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