Dad with AML no longer responding to Vidaza, looking for alternatives.

[LJacobs]

Good evening everyone,

Dad's labs had been slipping a little each month for some time and in the last couple of treatment cycles have had larger declines. On Monday morning we took Dad in for his regularly scheduled 5 days of Vidaza treatment. He had his labs done and the doctor told us that the Vidaza has stopped working. No more treatments with that drug. Dad had a bone marrow biopsy done yesterday and we'll have a conferenece with the doctor on Tuesday next week to see what options Dad has now.


Dad's labs showed:

White count - 1.3 (last month 1.4)
Hemoglobin - 8.3 (last month 11)
Hematocrit - 24 (last month 32)
Platelets - 30 (last month 62)

I have heard that patients who stop responding to Vidaza don't do well on Dacogen.

Dad is nearly 80 years old, and has a heart condition. He had quadruple bypass surgery and a new heart valve in 2011. I think these two facts eliminate him as a candidate for the harsher treatments. He does not have a lot of stamina.

I wonder if any of you have heard of other treatment regimens that I can look into in advance of our conference with the doctor?

My sister has learned of a drug in clinical trial called Estybon (http://www.mdsbeacon.com/news/2011/0...ogen-eha-2011/)

Dad is being treated at Virginia Mason, by a marvelous hematologist/oncologist named Dr. Vishnu. We trust him and Dad has receive great care there. I am not sure how willing he's going to be to leave his medical team but I am going to look into SCCA and Fred Hutch.

Thanks for any ideas you have!
I send you all my good wishes.

Lesley