Re: Fathering a child while on Gleevec

[Guest guest]

I ll add one comment that probably doesn't apply to many cml patients but I

think should be brought to the things to consider in the decision to have

children after a cml dx. Some of the known causes of cml, radiation or

chemical poisoning (benzene) are also a serious source of birth defects. If

there is any suspicion of heavy contact with benzene (worked at a gaz

station, chemical industry, etc) or exposition to radiations and/or

radioelements (hospital, research, military, etc), this should be taken into

account in the decision making.

Marcos.

On 9/4/07, Tracey <traceyincanada@...> wrote:

>

> There isn't much information on the internet about fathering children

> while on Gleevec however I personally know of several men who did so

> and all had normal babies.

>

> I found one article that reported 8 male patients who conceived while

> taking Gleevec ( I sure hope they meant to say that these patients

> fathered children while on Gleevec because if they actually conceived

> themselves, well that's quite impressive in deed). Anyway, of these 8

> patients, there were 8 healthy babies born although one had what they

> called a " mild rotation of the small intestine " but it was surgically

> treated with no complications and no further problems. All 8 babies

> were reported to be growing and developing normally. You can read the

> article here if you want, just scroll mid way down the page.

> http://jco.ascopubs.org/cgi/content/full/24/7/1204

>

> I personally don't believe that germ cells are exposed to the same

> toxic effects of Gleevec that somatic cells are (and I haven't seen any

> evidence at all to suggest that they are) so I can't see why it would

> be a problem for a man to father a child while on Gleevec. So far the

> limited evidence that I have seen, indicates that men can safely father

> children while on Gleevec.

>

> Tracey

>

>

>

--

Marcos Perreau Guimaraes

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