High Dose Chemo on Monday

Hi Keep Pounding Rob Team!

We wanted to post some brief information about the stem cell transplant and the high dose chemo, which Rob will begin Monday. We’ve used two sites to help explain the information, Cancercompass.com and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (links below).

Below is a chart from the website Cancercompass.com, and it describes the stem cell transplant in an easy to understand way. Steps 1 and 2 are complete. On Monday, Rob will begin step 3, followed by step 4 on Wednesday. A brief description of step 3 follows.

STEM CELLS TO THE RESCUE CHART: (Cancercompass.com)

Source: https://www.cancercompass.com/cancer-guide/conventional-treatment/stem-cell-transplant.html

More information on high dose chemotherapy (step 3, which happens Monday):

High-dose chemotherapy kills more myeloma cells than would be possible with lower doses of chemotherapy.  The high dose chemotherapy also kills good cells which results in Rob having little to no immune system.  Rob will be in hospital until his doctors determine that his immune system is strong enough for him to come home. I’ll post more details on the high dose chemo including the process, side effects, etc., next week. Everyone experiences it differently, so it’s hard to know what to expect.

From the Memorial Sloan Kettering Center:

“People who have autologous or allogeneic transplants first receive high-dose chemotherapy to kill the cancer cells. Two days later, the stem cells are infused into the bloodstream. This procedure is similar to a blood transfusion. Over the following days, the transplanted stem cells travel to the bone marrow, where they grow and develop into new mature blood cells, including red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets.

It usually takes several weeks before all of the mature blood cells are replenished. During this time, special measures are taken to protect a patient from infections and bleeding. Stem cell transplantation may require up to three weeks in a hospital. Full recovery takes several months.” 

Source: https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/types/multiple-myeloma/multiple-myeloma-treatment/stem-cell-transplantation

Thank you so much, Keep Pounding Rob Team! We have a long road ahead, but we are ready to keep pounding this cancer called multiple myeloma!!

We could not keep pounding without all of you! Thank you for your love and support!!