Re: Question to Tracey and Zavie

[Guest guest]

Hi Lilia,

I would say that you are making progress. This is good news.

The reason I am cautious in my statement is that you have been receiving a

sub-optimal dose of Gleevec. Let's wait until you have been on 400 mg for a

period of 3 months. I think you will be surprised at the results.

Zavie

Zavie (age 70)

67 Shoreham Avenue

Ottawa, Canada, K2G 3X3

dxd AUG/99

INF OCT/99 to FEB/00, CHF

No meds FEB/00 to JAN/01

Gleevec since MAR/27/01 (400 mg)

CCR SEP/01. #102 in Zero Club

2.8 log reduction Sep/05

3.0 log reduction Jan/06

2.9 log reduction Feb/07

3.6 log reduction Apr/08

3.6 log reduction Sep/08

e-mail: zmiller@...

Tel: 613-726-1117

Fax: 309-296-0807

Cell: 613-282-0204

ID: zaviem

YM: zaviemiller

Skype: Zavie

_____

From: [mailto: ] On Behalf Of

llokl_777

Sent: January 6, 2009 2:24 PM

Subject: [ ] Question to Tracey and Zavie

Hi,

I didn't post for a little while. I finally changed my doctor and had

an appointment with the new one on December 30th. I was on 200mlg of

Gleevec at that moment. She took CBC and PCR tests the same day. CBC

was great with all counts in the middle on the normal range. New doctor

immediately changed my prescription to 300mlg with goal to go on 400mlg

in one month. Today I had a second appointment with her after being on

300mlg for one week. CBC was as good as week ago. The result of BCR/ABL

Quantitative shows G6PDH RNA Ratio as 3.63. My last PCR on September

22nd showed that I had BCR/ABL as 8%. Is this last ratio given in

percents? Can I compare these two numbers? I understand that in ideal

situation this ratio suppose to be zero or close to zero. Is this

correct? I was diagnosed four months ago. Is 3.63 good result for this

period of time?

Thank you in advance for your response,

Lilia.

[Guest guest]

Hi Lilia,

I'm so glad that you finally changed doctors. I know how unhappy you

were with the one you had.

I don't think you can compare the two PCR's because it sounds like

they were done at two different labs.

The fact that one is reported as a percentage and the other a whole

number makes me think that they weren't done at the same lab.

Also, in the most recent PCR, it specifically states that the control

gene they used was G6PDH so I wonder which gene was used for the

first PCR? Some labs will use G6PDH while others use ABL.

You really can't compare tests that were done totally differently.

You know the whole apples vs oranges thing.

Some labs will report the log reduction while others just give you

the result but unless you know the baseline used for that lab, your

result is a bit ambiguous.

The best thing you can do is stick with the same lab and watch the

trend that develops. No decision should ever be made on one test

result.

I hope you're able to tolerate the 400mg dose. If you can stick with

that dose you'll no doubt have a much better response.

Take care,

Tracey

>

> Hi,

>

> I didn't post for a little while. I finally changed my doctor and

had

> an appointment with the new one on December 30th. I was on 200mlg

of

> Gleevec at that moment. She took CBC and PCR tests the same day.

CBC

> was great with all counts in the middle on the normal range. New

doctor

> immediately changed my prescription to 300mlg with goal to go on

400mlg

> in one month. Today I had a second appointment with her after being

on

> 300mlg for one week. CBC was as good as week ago. The result of

BCR/ABL

> Quantitative shows G6PDH RNA Ratio as 3.63. My last PCR on

September

> 22nd showed that I had BCR/ABL as 8%. Is this last ratio given in

> percents? Can I compare these two numbers? I understand that in

ideal

> situation this ratio suppose to be zero or close to zero. Is this

> correct? I was diagnosed four months ago. Is 3.63 good result for

this

> period of time?

>

> Thank you in advance for your response,

>

> Lilia.

>