Efrem Fischer

[Guest guest]

Dear Efrem,

I cannot answer your question, but I would like to encourage you to continue

to be pro-active. I hope they continue to develop new drugs, because we never

know when the one we are on will no longer work. You have several drugs to

choose from and emerging drugs getting ready for trial.

I was in 2 other trials before Gleevec, which lasted for 4 years and never

got anywhere near CCR, then I was switched to Sprycel. After 2 years, I had

pleural and pericardial effusions from the Sprycel on the lowest possible dose,

and they took me out of that trial with no notice and switched me to SKI 606.

Now I am just past the 2 year mark again and I find myself in the same

predicament and waiting to see if they will or will not switch me again. I had

an x-ray about 6 months ago and again on Monday and I still had the effusions.

My pulmonologist wants to do a thorocentesis, but has never called to set up an

appointment. I would not be surprised if my oncologist would not switch me

again. Travel expense and housing for these trials can be quite expensive, so I

am not looking forward to that again. I am hesitant to agree to a thorocentesis

if they are going to change my trial. I would like some feed back on that, too

if anyone has had the same problem.

I saw Dr. Talpaz in New Orleans on Sunday at the ASH convention and he

assured me that there are 3 more new drugs in the pipe line and the reason that

they are continuing to develop new drugs is because they understand CML better

than the other blood diseases. I am sure that sometime in the future, they will

discontinue developing new drugs, as the market will be saturated. Keep on

keeping on, there will probably be a cure before you ever have to have a BMT.

Hands & hearts,

Lottie Duthu