Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML) Support Group

Acute myelogenous leukemia (AML), also known as acute myeloid leukemia, is a cancer of the myeloid line of blood cells. Patients with AML usually present with symptoms such as fatigue, bleeding, infection, prompting medical attention. An abnormal blood test reading will then result in further testing in a hospital with a hematologist to determine AML.

307 Members
1,142 Posts
0 Online
Leukemias
/ Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML) Support Group

When Does the Remission Clock Start for Chemo only

Noodle65
Noodle65
All,

I hope this does not seem like a stupid question but your perspective/advice is truly appreciated. On Jan 23rd I was deemed in full remission with no signs of leukemia nor the Inversion 16 cytogenics I was diagnosed with on March 22, 2013-Praise God!

Originally, I was counting my remission from April 27 2013, the date I went into remission after Induction. But I have read that some count remission after all chemo is complete and the final BMB is done. Of course I would love to think that my one year remission anniversary is just around the corner in April but if I need a reality check please give me one.

Thank you in advance for the help.

Julie
dbrowncsuaedu
dbrowncsuaedu
Julie: I started mine after I was sure I was going to recover from my final consolidation round. I figured up until then I might not make it. To round it off I just figured the end of the year, so I am now four years and going on two months. I do not know when they do it medically in the studies, but I would think that it would be after all treatments are completed. You can keep track of both if you want -- it is your celebration. One year is a major milestone. After two years the chances of relapse drop dramatically, but nothing special about two years -- the chances drop for every day in remission ... it is just that the cumulative drop is quite substantial at two years. -- dave
zkat
zkat
Julie - that's not a stupid question at all. Especially as each day is so important in counting "clean time" in this disease...

I asked my doctor, when I was done with treatment. He told me there's no one way to look at this. He counts from my first clean BMB. In my case that's early October 2011.
He told me researchers often count from diagnosis, just because it's the easier date to remember and pinpoint to.
Others count from the end of all treatments.

So I count my "time" since first remission.
BUT, I also celebrate the day I left the hospital after the last treatment (in my case, January 9th, 2012).

Once I hit the 2 year mark on both, I knew I can exhale. A bit. :-)

And as Dave said, another thing my doctor told me, there's nothing "Special" about that 2 year mark. If you look at graphs for AML relapse, the chances drop with each day, and even out at the bottom after around 2 years.

Abby
xuelan
xuelan
Julie,

You should pick whatever date makes you happy. Since I had a transplant, the clock started ticking on Sept 8, 2011. So far, the battery hasn't run out!

Be well.

Cliff
sgootee
sgootee
My Onc counts from dxn so I count since first remission.
shimauta
shimauta
Hi Julie.
I asked the same question to my doctor and he told me (and he wrote it in the medical report I took to Spain ) that it was counted after the first clean BMB. However, he counts the hit mark until a patient reaches 3 years after first remission. He says if the 3 years hit is achieved, it is quite strange a relapse comes. Though.... this makes about 2.5 years after diagnosis ... who knows!

What my doctor usually tells me is each day clean is a day on my side.

Let's celebrate, then, each day !

Ana M