PLEAE HELP!! Vidaza or Dacogen??

[RebeccaLeigh]

My mother has had MDS, and has been recieving blood transfusions for almost a year now. Her MDS is a result of the chemotherapy she has had over the past 14 years to fight Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma. She has been cancer free for five years but now MDS has surfaced. My mother is 60 years old and she doesn't think she could survive more chemo. Her doctor recommends treatment (vidaza or dacogen). Does anyone know which one is safer and more effective for someone of her age and fragile condition? Thanks, Rebecca

[Birgitta-A]

Hi Rebecca,
Unfortunately the reseachers still can´t tell what treatment will help for most MDS patients except that Revlimid helps 75 % of the patients with the chromosome aberration 5q deletion. Vidaza helps more patients than Dacogen. Vidaza will soon be approved in Europe but not Dacogen. It takes about 4 months for Vidaza to "kick in". Most patients now get Vidaza for 5 days in 28 days cycles.

Here is a link about Vidaza. They report adverse effects in % and compare with best supportive care http://www.rxlist.com/vidaza-drug.htm.

How are your mothers HGB, white blood cells and platelets ?
Kind regards
Birgitta-A
69 yo, dx MDS Interm-1 May 2006, transfusion dependent, Desferal for iron overload, Neupogen 2 injections/week for low white blood cells, asymptomatic

[RebeccaLeigh]

i am not sure what her platelets and white count is but she did say after she recieved 3 units of blood last week and she was checked yesterday and her overall blood was 28. she said when she goes to the doctor on tuesday she will get that specific information on her counts.

[Birgitta-A]

Hi Rebecca,
Here are some important tests and their reference range. Different labs have different reference values so it is better to always ask for a copy of the test results - the reference value is written beside her result.

Haemoglobin (Hb) female 115 - 120
White blood cells (WBC) 4.1 - 10.9 x109/L
Platelet count (Plt) 150 - 450 x109/L

When I was dx May 2006 my Hb was 70 (I was transfusion dependent from start), WBC:s 4.6 and plt:s 66. Since then my WBC:s have decreased after several infections and I get Neupogen with very good effect. I am still asymptomatic.

Hope your mother feels better after the transfusions!
Kind regards
Birgitta-A