DR: OFATUMUMAB (ARZERRA)

[Guest guest]

Hello,

It has been a while since I have posted. My mother is 85 years old. Stage IV

CLL. She is 17p deleted, ZAP 70 positive.

She has been hospitalized more than not over the last 5 months, with recurrent

fluid in the lungs, suspected as a result of her Anemia, and presently is at the

end of a C. Diff Infection.

She has had numerous platelet and RBC transfussions during this time frame. Her

WBCs are down from approx 130,000 to 93K this week. Her hemoglobin is 8.8,

hematocrit at 27.4. Her platelets are 18, and Neutrophils , 1. These numbers

fluctuate both positively and negatively on a daily basis.

She had initially been treated with FR, ( 6 cycles) had a 50% reduction in

nodes,and substantial decrease in bone marrow infiltration, but a short response

duration of less than a year, hence she was considered refractory. She was to

start Revlimid in the second 6 months but developed breast cancer so  could not

continue at that time.

She  eventually tried a few cycles of Bendamustine and was refractory, and here

is when her Cytopenias began. She had once Cycle after Bendamusitne with

Revlimid, responded nut was taken off for reasons not quite clear. She had bulky

noded approx. 4.5 cm, now way down, but still a few noded quite large approx. 8

cm. Her spleen is enlarged.

It is now proposed she start treatment with Arzerra. She is at great risk of

infection as a result of the Neutropenia and respiratory concerns. I have read

mixed results around 17p and Arzerra.

We are at the point where we don't know if we should  even attempt this last

treatment.  I am hoping Dr. Furman will weigh in on this, as he was  a great

help to us with her initial diagnosis in early 2008.

Thank you in advance,