Blood Cancer and Options Offer Hope

By Yolanda Brunson-Sarrabo

2 min read

Let me start by saying that it’s a wonderful thing when you have some options when battling blood cancer. Specifically multiple myeloma, which at one time had limited treatment alternatives.

As any medical situation like this show is either it works or it doesn’t, but when you have narrow components, it can lead to a gloomy outlook. However, we have a bunch of options to help make you and your doctor feel there’s a chance, well that speaks volumes.

So many more options

Wow, sadly to say, I’ve been in this multiple myeloma bubble for about 12-13 years. It’s hard to believe and even so that I’m still here to reflect on this. I’m so fortunate to be able to see with my own eyes what latest options have been made in battling this specific form of blood cancer. As many patients can attest it’s great when we have some choices in surviving this.

There were not as many positive scenarios on a slew of treatment options, and that’s not to say what was suggested didn’t work for a few, but what I’ve said before, we’re all different. Allowing us other ways about going about one medication versus another means a lot to this community. Today, we have multiple drugs to choose from that make a world of difference in what and how to go about fighting blood cancer.

We now have a variety of corticosteroids (dexamethasone, prednisone), immunomodulation agents (lenalidomide: Revlimid, pomalidomide: Pomalyst), proteasome inhibitors (bortezomib: Velcade, carfilzomib: Kyprolis, ixazomib: Ninlaro). Then there are the clinical trials and the recent CAR T-cell therapy. There’s even the latest Darzalex-Faspro. I mean the variety is a hopeful batch than what we dealt with some years back, and this is a wonderful bunch of news.

Now what?

So what do options mean, really? Well, it gives us a better handle on what route to go about with our doctor’s guidance. What we all know is that one medication alone is not a true fit for us all. The varieties we now see give us more freedom in seeing what works for our individual situations, and if one fails, we have some other back-ups to play with - this wasn’t the case some years back.

The complexity of multiple myeloma is not a glove that fits perfectly but envisioning the newest developments makes me comfortable with the hope that one day we can eradicate this particular blood cancer. I don’t believe I felt this kind of hope when I was diagnosed. I recall seeing the grim 5-year life span upon being diagnosed with blood cancer, statistically suggested and still suggested. I’ve learned that is not the case for many patients, and once I had a well-informed conversation with the many doctors in understanding my situation, it provided a bit of light.

The future seems brighter and that is what we strive for: hope, fight, and options.

The time to fight is now, with integrity, grace, hope, and a smile... when you feel like it.

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Susan Gonsalves Moderator & Contributor
<inline-mention username="Yolanda Brunson-Sarrabo" user-id="3647991"/> I admire your tenacity. What you say is true--no one size fits all when it comes to blood cancer. Even within CML treatments (basically TKIs), everyone reacts differently. Some people do fine and others have devastating side effects. But at least there are options and at least there are methods to get past the dreaded five year forecasts. I would say, "stay positive" but I know you will.
1. Yolanda Brunson-Sarrabo Moderator & Contributor
 <inline-mention username="Susan Gonsalves" user-id="3653135"/> Thanks for reading! If we don't have some spark of hope and tenacity, well it makes the journey even more jarring. Yes, options help in the process of figuring things out. Best!
Amanda Brunson Moderator & Contributor
<3
Paula Rosado Moderator
I've beat the statistics so far too <inline-mention username="Yolanda Brunson-Sarrabo" user-id="3647991"/>. I think it was a 60% chance of passing in the first 5 years when I was diagnosed CML in 2011. Like you, I listen more to my body than I do the stats. I'm undergoing a chemo change right now from Dasatinib to Nilotinib and my oncologist gave me one more treatment option should this one fail for me. Knowing I have options is priceless. Hope is alive and well. Thank you for your words of encouragement. Sending virtual hugs. 
1. Yolanda Brunson-Sarrabo Moderator & Contributor
 <inline-mention username="Paula Rosado" user-id="3654780"/> Congrats on beating those pesky stats as well. I do agree the list of options is indeed priceless, and it just helps us figure things out and in keeping hope alive! Stay at it and hug back : )
Dennis Golden Moderator
So ... if you put one foot in boiling water and the other foot in a bucket of ice - on average you should be ok - LOL - So much for statistics and averages. Just do the best you can do every day ... Dennis(Blood-Cancer.com Team)
1. Ann Harper Moderator & Contributor
 <inline-mention username="DennisGolden" user-id="3641422"/> I totally agree!
2. Yolanda Brunson-Sarrabo Moderator & Contributor
 <inline-mention username="DennisGolden" user-id="3641422"/> That's all you can do Dennis. Best!
Ramae Hamrin Moderator & Contributor
<inline-mention username="Yolanda Brunson-Sarrabo" user-id="3647991"/> I recall when I was first diagnosed, both of my oncologists stressed the number of treatment options available now. And that was 3 years ago. It gave me hope after what I had first read on the internet, LOL. Maybe they should take those old, outdated articles off! I didn't remember that you had been living with it for 12-13 years. That also gives me a lot of hope! 
1. Yolanda Brunson-Sarrabo Moderator & Contributor
 <inline-mention username="Ramae Hamrin" user-id="3651272"/> Yep, Ramae over 10 years in this trying game, and there is hope! Yes, we've come a long way as I recall 1-2 treatment names that were supposedly the go-to in treatment, but are still on the list but not as effective as the newer heavy hitters. Keep staying hopeful! : )