I was diagnosed in May with WBC around 190K and platelets around 700K. I went on Hydroxy Eurea for 2 weeks (low dose) and my WBC dropped to 150K but platelets went up to over 900K. I went in the hospital under Dr. Khoury at Emory Winship Cancer Center for 4 days of high dose Hydrea and to start Sprycel. After 4 days they dropped the dose of Hydrea and after a week stopped it. I continued the Sprycel for about a month but then my WBC and platelets dropped drastically WBC around 500 and Platelets around 9k. I had blood twice and platelets once, stopped Sprycel for a week and a half and then returned to a 50 mg dose. My counts have all steadily dropped on the 50mg dose but never dropped significantly. I had my first FISH and PCR last week and my FISH came back at 75%. I don't have the PCR results yet.
Dr. Khoury wants to do mutation testing a week from tomorrow as he doesn't believe I am responding to Sprycel. My question is, what is next and what can we expect? How long does the mutation testing take? What if it is not mutated, why would it not respond? What are my options drug wise if it is or is not mutated? When does a BMT become a real concern?
Thank you,
Craig