Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (CML) Support Group

Dear Bob,

My husband is on 400mg Gleevec but I run a support group which has patients on Sprycel and have helped out in our own clinic's Phase II Sprycel trials. You are not alone. One of the major side-effects of Sprycel is that it can lower platelet and neutrophil count. Once the platelet count goes below 50,000 and Absolute Neutrophil Count (ANC) goes below 1000, the drug is stopped to let the counts recover. Once you restart the drug and again the counts fall below 50,000, your doc may place you on a lower dose of Sprycel. For chronic phase patients, the dose is 100mg a day but I know patients who are having low PCR values with doses as low as 70mg a day. Sprycel is a powerful drug.

However, you may find that your platelet count remains above 50,000 so do not worry too much.

Best Wishes,
Anjana
wife of Royston
400mg Gleevec
PCR 4-log reduction
http://www.cmlinfo.org

Hello Anjana,
Thank you for your response. I will have to see what the results are on friday & go from there. I have spoken with Jerry Mayfield, who was in the initial trial for Sprycel. He says much the same as you, & that given time my body will hopefully adjust to the sprycel, & that all will settle down & that my count will rise.
Best wishes to you & your husband, I hope the Gleevec continues to work for him.
Bob

Bob I wish the best for you..hang in there, things will get better!!!