#6666 01-11-2006 03:11 PM | Joined: Jan 2004 Posts: 316 Platinum Member (300+ posts) | OP  Platinum Member (300+ posts)
Joined: Jan 2004 Posts: 316 | Hi all,
This is a general question regarding chemo...my mother has ovarian cancer and had her 3rd dose of carboplatin yesterday. They checked her blood afterwards and today she had to return to the hospital for a blood transfusion (5 hours, 2 bags). Are transfusions quite common for chemo patients? Just a tad worried.
Cheers!
Tizz
End of Radiation - the "Ides of March" 2004 :-)
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#6667 01-11-2006 05:44 PM | Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 1,140 Likes: 1 Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) | | Patient Advocate (1000+ posts)
Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 1,140 Likes: 1 | Tizz, I don't have knowledge of anyone but myself, however after all the rad and chemo, I was so deficient in red cells that a transfusion was recommended. I elected to grow my own, but I was given to understand that I was not the only one in that position. Hope that helps. | | |
#6668 01-11-2006 06:44 PM | Joined: Nov 2002 Posts: 274 Platinum Member (200+ posts) | | Platinum Member (200+ posts)
Joined: Nov 2002 Posts: 274 | They sometimes give transfusions for low red blood cell counts, it is the quick fix. I get a shot of Procrit every week to boost my counts, but it took almost 6 weeks to get them back up to normal. She should feel a lot better, a lot faster. | | |
#6669 01-11-2006 11:14 PM | Joined: Feb 2005 Posts: 2,019 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Feb 2005 Posts: 2,019 | Tizz, I don't think they're "quite common" but my Medical oncologist was close to giving me one when my red blood cell count was really low (they had been giving me procrit but it wasn't working very well). He ended up deciding to wait a couple of weeks and see if things improved and they did.
SCC(T2N0M0) part.glossectomy & neck dissect 2/9/05 & 2/25/05.33 IMRT(66 Gy),2 Cisplatin ended 06/03/05.Stage I breast cancer treated 2/05-11/05.Surgery to remove esophageal stricture 07/06, still having dilatations to keep esophagus open.Dysphagia. "When you're going through hell, keep going"
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#6670 01-12-2006 02:53 AM | Joined: Jul 2005 Posts: 624 "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) | | "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts)
Joined: Jul 2005 Posts: 624 | People's reactions seem to differ -- Barry had his RBC and platelets drop due to the carboplatin, but not to any level that would have required Procrit or a transfusion. Another patient on exact same protocol (getting carbo only) had to have Procrit and also, platelet transfusions and the folks at Hopkins tld her they had never seen anyone's blood counts drop so low from such a (relatively) small dose of this drug. Her husband told us Tuesday when we saw them at the hospital that she has always reacted very stongly to any medication and the effect of the carbo was not unexpected. (Having said that, she is now doing well and recovering from treatment ).
However, these transfusions are apparently not uncommon -- when we were at the hospital they were having a big drive at the cancer center to get platelet donations, and the brochure being handed out indicated that a hign percentage of the chemo patients end up needing platelet transfusions.
Gail
CG to husband Barry, dx. 7/21/05, age 66, SCC rgt. tonsil, BOT, 2 nodes (stg. IV), HPV+, tonsillectomy, 7x carboplatin, 35x tomoTherapy IMRT w/ Ethyol @ Johns Hopkins, thru treatment 9/28/05, HPV vaccine trial 12/06-present. Looking good!
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#6671 01-12-2006 07:01 PM | Joined: Nov 2005 Posts: 306 Platinum Member (300+ posts) | | Platinum Member (300+ posts)
Joined: Nov 2005 Posts: 306 | Tizz, Treatment of any kind works best when the body is strong. Different cancer treatment regimes approach this problem uniquely. Transfusion will rapidly restore one or more important blood chemistries. Quick recovery of the blood means the cancer treatment will work that much better. I didn't get transfused, but others near me did. Perhaps the transfusions allow them to use a more aggressive treatment - thats a good thing. Be strong. Tom
SCC BOT, mets to neck, T4.
From 3/03: 10wks daily multi-drug chemo,
Then daily chemo with twice daily IMRT for 12 weeks - week on, week off. No surgery. New lung primary 12/07. Searching out tx options.
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