Okay - is this correct? REAL simple explanation?

[Guest guest]

Here is how I understand it: Gleevec does not get rid of CML. CML is a blood

disease. In our bone marrow, red and white blood cells are born from the

stem cells. They form one of many different types of cells. In a white blood

cell count you will find: neutrophils, eosinophils, basophils and monocytes,

(which are formed in the bone marrow), bands (immature neutrophils), and

lymphocytes. These increase when there is an infection. Normal adult counts

would be between 4,000 and 10,000 (mine at surgery was 280,000 I think).

Anyway, it is a vicious cycle as to what happens. As the cells being born, a

soldier tells them to be white blood cells (as apposed to a red blood cell),

and another soldier switches their DNA chromosomes. The first soldier sees

that there are foreign things in the blood stream (these messed up DNA white

cells) and commands MORE cells be white, and the second soldier makes the

deformed, and so on. SO, this medicine puts that 2nd soldier in handcuffs,

and watches guard over him. It tells the 1st soldier to relax. It also goes

around and fixes the broken, deformed cells. The problem is, if the medicine

doesn't work, or my body gets used to the guards watching that second

soldier... He escapes the handcuffs and starts up again. Unfortunetly, the

guards don't get another chance. There are a few other medications " guards "

that can go in... But the cells will NEVER know enough NOT to have that

mutation done to them. So, that is when you have to have a bone marrow

transplant. To take out all the stupid baby cells, and replace them with

someone elses smarter baby cells, and then the second soldier can't mutate

them.

I know it doesn't include all the fancy FISH numbers - but I'm looking for a

simple explanation. And yes - there are little soldiers running around my

body performing tasks. Just ask the little lady that reads the rolodex of

things to do in my head!

Thanks, Tammy

[Guest guest]

Tammy:

I like that explaination. Touche!!

Therese

Tammy Ferns <tammy@...> wrote:

Here is how I understand it: Gleevec does not get rid of CML. CML is a blood

disease. In our bone marrow, red and white blood cells are born from the

stem cells. They form one of many different types of cells. In a white blood

cell count you will find: neutrophils, eosinophils, basophils and monocytes,

(which are formed in the bone marrow), bands (immature neutrophils), and

lymphocytes. These increase when there is an infection. Normal adult counts

would be between 4,000 and 10,000 (mine at surgery was 280,000 I think).

Anyway, it is a vicious cycle as to what happens. As the cells being born, a

soldier tells them to be white blood cells (as apposed to a red blood cell),

and another soldier switches their DNA chromosomes. The first soldier sees

that there are foreign things in the blood stream (these messed up DNA white

cells) and commands MORE cells be white, and the second soldier makes the

deformed, and so on. SO, this medicine puts that 2nd soldier in handcuffs,

and watches guard over him. It tells the 1st soldier to relax. It also goes

around and fixes the broken, deformed cells. The problem is, if the medicine

doesn't work, or my body gets used to the guards watching that second

soldier... He escapes the handcuffs and starts up again. Unfortunetly, the

guards don't get another chance. There are a few other medications " guards "

that can go in... But the cells will NEVER know enough NOT to have that

mutation done to them. So, that is when you have to have a bone marrow

transplant. To take out all the stupid baby cells, and replace them with

someone elses smarter baby cells, and then the second soldier can't mutate

them.

I know it doesn't include all the fancy FISH numbers - but I'm looking for a

simple explanation. And yes - there are little soldiers running around my

body performing tasks. Just ask the little lady that reads the rolodex of

things to do in my head!

Thanks, Tammy

[Guest guest]

Tammy.

I have to say that is a very good explanation:D

Terry

On 9/29/07, Therese Stone <kidme2003@...> wrote:

>

> Tammy:

>

> I like that explaination. Touche!!

>

> Therese

>

> Tammy Ferns <tammy@... <tammy%40fernsconsulting.com>>

> wrote: Here is how I understand it: Gleevec does not get rid of CML. CML is

> a blood

> disease. In our bone marrow, red and white blood cells are born from the

> stem cells. They form one of many different types of cells. In a white

> blood

> cell count you will find: neutrophils, eosinophils, basophils and

> monocytes,

> (which are formed in the bone marrow), bands (immature neutrophils), and

> lymphocytes. These increase when there is an infection. Normal adult

> counts

> would be between 4,000 and 10,000 (mine at surgery was 280,000 I think).

> Anyway, it is a vicious cycle as to what happens. As the cells being born,

> a

> soldier tells them to be white blood cells (as apposed to a red blood

> cell),

> and another soldier switches their DNA chromosomes. The first soldier sees

> that there are foreign things in the blood stream (these messed up DNA

> white

> cells) and commands MORE cells be white, and the second soldier makes the

> deformed, and so on. SO, this medicine puts that 2nd soldier in handcuffs,

> and watches guard over him. It tells the 1st soldier to relax. It also

> goes

> around and fixes the broken, deformed cells. The problem is, if the

> medicine

> doesn't work, or my body gets used to the guards watching that second

> soldier... He escapes the handcuffs and starts up again. Unfortunetly, the

> guards don't get another chance. There are a few other medications

> " guards "

> that can go in... But the cells will NEVER know enough NOT to have that

> mutation done to them. So, that is when you have to have a bone marrow

> transplant. To take out all the stupid baby cells, and replace them with

> someone elses smarter baby cells, and then the second soldier can't mutate

> them.

>

> I know it doesn't include all the fancy FISH numbers - but I'm looking for

> a

> simple explanation. And yes - there are little soldiers running around my

> body performing tasks. Just ask the little lady that reads the rolodex of

> things to do in my head!

>

> Thanks, Tammy

>

>

[Guest guest]

So, that is when you have to have a bone marrow

> transplant. To take out all the stupid baby cells, and replace them

with

> someone elses smarter baby cells, and then the second soldier can't

mutate

> them.

****************************************************

Hi Tammy,

This isn't how a transplant works. It's not because you " get rid of

all the stupid baby cells " and are getting someone else's " smarter "

cells that you get cured from CML.

In the case of a transplant, it's the new immune system that comes

from the donor (which is in the new cells) that gives you the cure

because your body will always make CML cells originating from that

original " bad " stem cell but the new immune system is able to

recognize the " bad " cells that are made and destroy them before they

reproduce to cause disease.

So I guess if you want an analogy; the new donor cells from a

transplant are like a batch of new soldiers who replace the soldiers

that used to be named Gleevec. And just as in the case with the

soldiers named Gleevec, the soldiers that you get from a transplant

can sometimes fall asleep on the job. The other draw back is that

these transplant soldiers can also sometimes get their orders messed

up and they sometimes start to shoot at good healthy cells which can

wreak havoc on your body.

Take care,

Tracey

[Guest guest]

:

Sometimes the new soldiers know exactly what their doing and the transplant plan

that was laid out works!!!

Therese

Tracey <traceyincanada@...> wrote:

So, that is when you have to have a bone marrow

> transplant. To take out all the stupid baby cells, and replace them

with

> someone elses smarter baby cells, and then the second soldier can't

mutate

> them.

****************************************************

Hi Tammy,

This isn't how a transplant works. It's not because you " get rid of

all the stupid baby cells " and are getting someone else's " smarter "

cells that you get cured from CML.

In the case of a transplant, it's the new immune system that comes

from the donor (which is in the new cells) that gives you the cure

because your body will always make CML cells originating from that

original " bad " stem cell but the new immune system is able to

recognize the " bad " cells that are made and destroy them before they

reproduce to cause disease.

So I guess if you want an analogy; the new donor cells from a

transplant are like a batch of new soldiers who replace the soldiers

that used to be named Gleevec. And just as in the case with the

soldiers named Gleevec, the soldiers that you get from a transplant

can sometimes fall asleep on the job. The other draw back is that

these transplant soldiers can also sometimes get their orders messed

up and they sometimes start to shoot at good healthy cells which can

wreak havoc on your body.

Take care,

Tracey

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