Several Myelomas, a Blood Plasma Cancer, and the Arkansas Management:
Within
the last 20 years, the Arkansas Treatment has been developed for
patients suffering from Multiple Myeloma. An acquaintance of the author's, who
was treated with this chemotherapy regimen several years before his own
diagnosis, had to travel to Arkansas to receive blood cancer the treatment. After being
diagnosed in June, 2008 with multiple myeloma, the author was able to receive
this chemotherapy regimen locally near his home in the Upstate of South
Carolina.
This
treatment uses several different drugs during chemotherapy, followed by an antilogous
stem cell transplant. The full treatment actually Arkanasas Management cells for a tandem stem blood cell
transplant (two in succession.) Whereas years ago, the only treatment for
multiple myeloma was the drug that directly targets the cancerous cells (and
then also targets lots of good cells as well), the several drugs used in this
treatment all target the abilities of the cancerous cells to reproduce and
encourage the body's normal disease fighting cells to eliminate them.
This
treatment uses thalidomide as the main, cancer-fighting, oral drug, plus a
cocktail of chemotherapy drugs which include bortezomib, cyclophosphamide,
etoposide, cisplatin, doxorubicin, and dexamethasone. A variety of other drugs
such as antibiotics, to help the body's impaired immune system, anti-nausea
drugs, and pain killers (steroids) are administered concurrently.
With
the older treatments directly targeting the cancerous cells, the life
expectancies of multiple myeloma patients were on the order of two to four
years following diagnosis. Since those drugs adversely affected many good body
cells as well as the cancerous cells, the patients' bodies took a major hit every
time the drug was administered. A high dose of that same drug (or similar ones)
is part of the stem cell transplant procedure. Following the administration of
the high dose drug, the author's white blood cell count was near zero.
Fortunately, the stem cell transplant immediately followed the administration
of the high dose, so his body was able to recover from the high dose by
creating new stem cells and new good blood cells.
Newer
treatments such as the Arkansas Treatment use drugs that target the cancerous
cells indirectly. They attempt to turn OFF the ON switch that tells the
cancerous cells to reproduce ad infinitum. They attempt to block blood supplies
which allow the cancerous cells to flourish. They attempt to block signals sent
from the cancerous cells to normal body disease-fighting cells that says, in
effect, "I am a normal cell -- leave me alone." They attempt to
encourage the body's disease-fighting cells to go after those cancerous cells
and do their jobs -- that is, to eliminate them as unwanted cells in the body.
Obviously, this is a layman's explanation of the tasks requested of the drugs
in this treatment regimen, but you get the idea.
Since
these drugs are not directly expected to kill the cancerous cells, they are
much less harmful to the good cells of the body. This does not mean they are
harmless to normal body cells. They still are quite potent chemicals that
should not be used lightly. But they appear to each work well to perform the
jobs requested of them. Life expectancies of patients receiving the Arkansas
treatment are listed as ten plus years, and climbing.
Major
side effects occur with this treatment regimen, but they appear to be worth the
inconveniences. In the author's case, the two major side effects are
deterioration of the heart muscle, and peripheral neuropathy. The author's
heart efficiency deteriorated sufficiently over the course of treatment that he
was prevented from receiving the second stem cell transplant. Having read lots
of information on the internet prior to and during treatments, he somehow
missed the possibility that the chemo drugs could adversely affect the heart
muscle. The efficiency of his left ventricle went from normal values above 50%
all the way down to 26%. At this low level, he was treated for congestive heart
failure. The cardiologist said, however, that in many cases, the heart can
recover from chemo-induced levels like this. This, in fact, has happened in the
author's case. His heart's efficiency has risen once again to near-normal
levels.
After
the heart's efficiency problems were diagnosed, the author searched for and
found several articles that did indeed warn that some of the chemo drugs used
in this regimen can adversely affect the heart muscle. One of the drugs, in
particular, was listed as prone to causing heart problems. When he asked one of
the chemo nurses which of the medications could adversely affect the heart, she
answered, "Oh, they probably all do."
The
peripheral neuropathy is a major nuisance, but it does not appear to be a
life-threatening problem. The author's fingers and toes all tingle and feel
somewhat numb most of the time. The cancer drugs, and even the cancer
maintenance drugs, appeared to cause these problems. After the main cancer
medications were stopped, the tingling and numbness receded a little, but not
completely. There were days following the chemo treatments when the author's
hands hurt -- especially when holding or touching cold items. Today, they are
tingly but that sensation can be ignored most of the time.
The
author's body is currently "as clean of the cancerous cells as
possible," according to his oncologist. This doctor also commented during
that visit that many don't appreciate the gravity of that statement.
"Years ago, half of the people who contracted multiple myeloma died within
3 years of diagnosis." Those numbers are greatly extended now due to chemo
regimens like the Arkansas Treatment.
Dennis
Dinger is a survivor of multiple myeloma. Diagnosed in June, 2008, he received
five cycles of the Arkansas Treatment: four of chemotherapy, plus the fifth --
the high dose and the autologous stem cell transplant. His book, My Bout
with Multiple Myeloma, chronicles his battle - to include the year prior to
diagnosis, the treatments, and the recuperation period following all
treatments. Throughout 2010, the cancer was in complete remission.
In
this book, he includes descriptions of most of the procedures to which he was
subject, he gives helpful hints and suggestions to others who may have to deal
with this or other cancers. The book was written for those who have been
similarly diagnosed, as well as for their family members and friends who may be
called upon to support their loved ones through similar battles.
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