aspeidel

Thanks for your reply and explaining a little about Aidans protocol.

So they are now doing a study to see if the lower risk children can do without high dose methotrexate?  Its all a bit confusing to me.  I have been so naive and was under the impression that until very recently all t-cell kids were on the same protocol as my son.  And in the new study not all children are given nelarbine?

In a way Im a little relieved that we had no choices to make, and neither did the doctors.  It would worry me sick to contemplate different 'arms' and what would be best for my child.  Are you given any say in the matter as to what course your sons protocol will take or is it all down to how the disease is at diagnosis and within the first few weeks?

I know I would want to hit it as hard as possible yet have seen the problems high dose chemotherapy can cause.

Thanks and best wishes to Aidan.

To calculate the absolute counts from the %counts and the absolute WBC count, you convert the %counts to fractional counts by moving decimal place two places left and then multiple this fraction by the absolute WBC count.  When doing these sorts of calculations it is best to explicitly state the units being employed.

Using Connie’s data, her son has 37% segs and 5% bands.  Adding these together,

         % of wbc that are neutrophil = 37% segs + 5% bands

                                                  = 42% neutrophil.

Since the absolute number density of white blood cells is given as 1.5 G per Liter (or 1.5 x 10⁹ per Liter), one finds that the absolute neutrophil number density is

                           ANC  = (0.42) x (1.5 G/L)

                                    = 0.63 G/L

This is definitely low.  Special precautions are necessary around the 0.5 G/L level.

Joe

Connie, I sure hope you keep us up on Toms health as time goes on.

Kaeden is still getting IGg transfusions even though his doctor was convinced he wouldnt have needed them past this last spring. No such luck and I dont see any end in sight. Like clockwork its every 6 weeks but he was a lot lower than normal this month and he is off all chemo which struck me as odd.

I have never gotten a true answer to if they had EVER checked his IGg levels prior to last Nov. so I dont know if he has always been low (as I suspect) or if it is a result of the low Lymphocytes.

Interesting to know that having CVID has a higher risk of getting Leukemia.

Thank you for posting the info~  I wish Tom, you and your family the best!  Cheryl~