Has Anyone Faced Chemo and Bone Marrow Transplant at 68?

Hi Cliff! You are facing a lot but I guarantee many others have been through it and are on the other side thriving! I hope one of those people find this community and can share their experience soon. We are so glad you are here and hope you keep us posted along your treatment timeline. 💛Suzanne (Community Moderator)

Thanks...I just need someone to share how it went and what the challenges were

Hi Cliff What kind of leukemia do u have? I have CMML. I’m 73 & was told to go for a stem cell transplant but I have a 50-60% chance of not making it & if I do a recurrence of 50% within the next year. Presently, I see a naturopathic dr who is an oncologist & hematologist. He has me on a lot of supplements ( papaya extract, dandelion root, turmeric, Berberine & green tea capsules) & I also have been seeing a hematologist for past 11 years when my platelets first started dropping. Last year they dropped to 32 & now they are at 102 . Medication is Dopletet. They take blood every month but no chemo. Good luck with your journey

Hi Joanie I was diagnosed with CMML in 12/23; no treatment yet as my WBC/RBC are holding up. I’m 72 this Dec.. Platelets have been declining since ‘13, now in the 20’s & 30’s. CBCs are mthly. Do you attribute your platelets improvement solely to Dopletet, or also to the supplements? Have you discussed Inqovi with your oncologist; my ex boss (82 yo) had platelets in the low 20s and with Inqovi, went up to 120 with no side effects.

I think the Doptelet & supplements are helping. I never heard of Inqovi but will ask my hematologist

Thanks for the comments here. Cmml-2 I'm overwhelmed right now, never really been sick before. The prospect of chemo plus bone marrow transplant sounds daunting. Really no symptoms...how long to watch and wait. Will naturalpathic approach to tx retain my quality of life? Thanks

I was diagnosed in Dec 24, so far naturopathic is helping. Some days I’m tired & I just take a nap. Other than that, I feel well

👍

Hi Cliff Sorry to hear about your sudden diagnoses. When I was diagnosed with CMML1 about 21 mths ago (12/23), my wife and I decided to contact the University of Chicago Oncology dept to get a secondary opinion on a treatment game plan. So far, both the oncologists have been on the same page - “wait & see” as my CBCs have been stable/consistent, with the exception of my declining platelets. University of Chicago is big on research, with clinical trials, etc.. Cancer treatment is changing rapidly. I don’t know where you live, but if you have a cancer research center/university within driving distance (U of C is a 2 hr drive for me, every 3 months; my local oncologist is 15” away monthly visits), I strongly recommend getting them as a partner to your local. The one nice thing also is that my local’s reporting system is the same as U of C’s, so both oncologists see the CBC monthly results instantly. Wishing you the best! Tom Lyons

Thanks...gonna connect with the Stanford bone marrow transplant team...also LLS has been so helpful with info

Great! Good luck!

Cliff: Do you know what mutations you have? I have ASXL1 which is not good

SRSF2 , RUNX1, TET2, STAT5B. I'm curious if anyone's tried any complementary therapy to support your well-being. I've heard of different therapies used commonly in Europe and also traditional Chinese remedies that have helped relieve symptoms such as fatigue, lack of appetite, poor sleep patterns. This is not an endorsement of such treatments, just wondering if there's something I can do while I await my chemo regime thanks

Cliff, I also have Runx1. I take a lot of supplements from my naturopathic dr: Berberine, green tea extract, turmeric, vit B, C, D and K, papaya leaf extract, dandelion root extract, milk thistle, 4oz of carrot juice 2x a day and Essiac tea 3oz 3x a day

Hello cliff my name Mike sorry to hear about your CMML I'm here to let you now I got also got diagnosed with CMML back in July off last year and I can say I was afraid and didn't now my next step but I did the bone marrow transplant and I'm 120 day out off the hospital and was scary for my and my wife but it's a good thing

That’s awesome Mike. I choose not to do stem cell bc my chances of not making it was 60%

Well I'm sorry to hear that they say only 60% so did they say your in the acute stage the

Thanks you two for sharing, just finishing my 1st round of AZA, really not too bad...my oncologist also said there's a 40 % chance of having a decent QOL after 1 year...but he described it really well...it's a bell curve...if I don't do anything, my cmml-2 will lead to acute leukemia, he said I'm healthy, motivated and the % rises the earlier I start treatment

Hello cliff if you don't mind me asking how old are you im 51 and and also the doctor told me if I didn't do anything it would go acute stage so I did it it in June off this year it's a long road to go through but you need to be strong and hope you have a great support team it's worth it I will keep checking in on you

Mike...thanks so very much for this message!!! I've never been sick before and in pretty good health and your words are very inspiring for me...I've been hoping to hear from someone who's gone thru this, the LLS connected me with a guy who had the bone marrow transplant in 2006...way different then...my cancer group has no one with my condition and at times it seems daunting: a month in the hospital, 2 months in a "safe house" trying to hook up a 10/10 match Take care, u made my day today

68 yo

Cliff: I’m not in acute stage but the reason they gave me such poor survival rates is bc of my age,73, and mutations ( ASXL1 and RUNX) both associated with poor prognosis

Thanks for sharing Joanie. Can u please share with us a bit more info about the supplements u are taking? My pharmacist has said those that u previously described will not interfere with my AZA chemo nor will adversely affect my liver. Specially the amount of berberine, papaya leaf, and dandelion root extracts: pill or liquid? I'm not trying to promote or prescribe any cures or treatment protocols, just any little bit of taking control of my own health as I augment my oncologist's plan with a bit of proven integrated supplemental care, Cheers to all and hang in there, just finishing 1st round of AZA sub q 3 injections 6 ml total

Papaya and dandelion are liquid drops. Berberine, Tumeric & green tea are capsules 500mg , 2x a day

Hello cliff just checking on you this week to see how your treatments are going and how your feeling