Thursday, April 12, 2012

CR!!!!!

Those of us in the myeloma community have gotten accustomed to a series of acronyms that classify the results of various trials and treatments. OS = Overall Survival. PFS=Progression Free Survival. ORR=Overall Response Rate. There is PR for Partial Reponse and even NPR for Near Partial Response. But the best one is CR which indicates Complete Remission.

The results of my recent bone marrow biopsy show no evidence of active cancer cells. That puts me in CR - COMPLETE REMISSION!

It is an excellent result and what we have been striving for. However, it should not be confused with "cured". To date, there is no cure for Multiple Myeloma. So there is no guarantee that it won't come back in a day or a week or a year or 10 years. Unfortunately, with MM you are never out of the woods. In fact, it is more likely than not that it will recur at some point. But the objective for the bone marrow transplant (BMT) was to achieve CR and it is felt that the BMT is the best way to extend the duration of the CR and increase the length of my OS and PFS. And the general feeling is that the longer it takes to recur, the better the chances are that new therapies will be available. But even if it were to recur tomorrow, there are still some novel therapies that have not yet been administered to me. And since I have already proven to be very responsive to therapy, the overall prognosis is very encouraging.

So, make no mistake about it. This is not only good news, it is the best possible news.

As for my current physical status, I've returned to work and am now playing tennis regularly. About the only thing left is to get my hair back and there seems to be some progress on that front as well. It is subtle, but the residual hair on my scalp has started turning dark...which indicates that the pigment is kicking in and we should start seeing less scalp relatively soon.

So, all good news on the cancer front for me. I wish the same for my fellow travelers.


26 comments:

  1. YEAH!!-
    Congrats with the great news!! Am sooo...happy for you!
    We are on our way to ELLYN'S BIRTHDAY dinner
    All of us are the happiest for you! We love you very much!
    Hopefully see you soon!!! :-)

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  2. That's the best news. I'm sooo happy!!!! I wish we could Skype once in awhile! I'd like to watch your hair grow - LOL!!! Love you lots & Lots!

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  3. Hey Ed ans Susan
    Congrats to you both!!Your great news is our great news.You are most surely blessed. Lets get together and raise a glass. Sorry to miss the concert with you. Can you believe we have never seen The Boss in concert! Off to Israel from the 24th through May 10th. Lets plan a wonderful night after out return.We will add a wish and blessing for you and Susan at the Western Wall.
    You will have to read this to Susan since we know she does NOT read your blog!!!!!
    Much love,
    Mal and Irv

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  4. CONGRATULATIONS, ED. This is Fantastic wonderful news! I'm almost as happy for you as you are for you. Don't be surprised when your hair returns if it comes back curly for a while. CR and naturally curly hair too. You,ll be the envy of all your female friends. Live and Be Happy!

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  5. I hate you! Easy transplant, full CR. Couldn't happen to a nicer guy. I'm probably in CR, too. I find out in three weeks. No M-spike last test. But I needed almost six months of RVD pounding...

    I'm happy for you, Ed! I will be in California this July speaking to a couple of support groups. Maybe we can find time to meet. This is SO EXCITING! Let's run a composite of your journey on the blog. Inspiring... I hear from a lot more patients who's transplants don't work. Need to reinforce the positive, don't you think?

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  6. Has anyone told you that you write real good?(!) I forsee a survivor's chronicle to share with your fellow MM community. Your blogs have been so informative and "readable".
    Ever,
    Greg

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  7. That is AWESOME news. Very happy. :-)

    Kathie

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  8. Congrats! Great news.

    - Justin

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  9. Yes! very cool man!!
    Les

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  10. This is GREAT NEWS!!! We are so happy to hear the good news. It was wonderful to see you a few weeks ago. I'm so glad we got the opportunity to reconnect.

    Tommy

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  11. Dear Ed,

    YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Come sing with us again--it was so good to see you last month!

    xxx,
    April

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  12. Really, really, really great news.

    Hugs

    Lenae Huebner

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  13. Fantastic fabulous Mazel Tov!

    Rabbi Mark

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  14. Happy “CR” to you!

    Great news.

    Big hug.

    Doug.

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  15. Excellent news—you are, indeed, the epitome of courage—a real schtarker (sp?)

    Mark M

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  16. Bridgette Brick-WellsApril 13, 2012 at 7:34 AM

    OMG, ED. CR!!!

    LOL (that's Lots of Love, BTW)

    BBW

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  17. Ed, what great news!! Prayers do happen, God is good.

    By the way you looked great the other night when we went to see Abraham Lincoln...

    Cheers, Shelley Goldstein

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  18. ASHFYAYF! (Am so happy for you and your family!) AWFYIAWFTEMMC! (A win for you is a win for the entire MM community!)

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  19. SOOOO happy for the news, keep it going. You are a lucky man if luck had anything to do with it, I am just happy for you and your wife.

    I will pray for the complete healing for you.

    Manny

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  20. So happy for this news. Keeping my fingers crossed for the same news for me. Feeling like my old self again. Stay busy and stay happy!

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  21. Ed! Congratulations! This is such great news!! Here's to many, many years of good health!!!

    All my best,
    Lee Vasquez

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  22. I am so happy for you and Susan (and all of the rest of us)!

    Elizabeth

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  23. FANTASTIC NEWS, my friend!!!!!! So glad to hear about it!!!

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  24. Ed, Cheers to you on your CR news. You have given me hope. My brother (52 y/o) was diagnosed yesterday with MM. I'm searching to learn more about the disease and to find hope in life expectancy. I will be reading your entire blog and following it along.

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