How things have changed

[SERVrider]

Admiral of the Fleet Sir Michael Le Fanu GCB DSC, First Sea Lord and (briefly) Chief of the Defence Staff was diagnosed in May 1970 with CLL. He was treated at the King Edward VII Hospital in London under Sir Ronald Bodley-Scott with cortisone and blood transfusions (Cortisone and Soda as he described it) and died on 28th November that year. He was 57. For our transatlantic friends, he served in '44 and '45 aboard the USS Indianapolis, USS New Mexico and USS Missouri under Adm's Spruance and Halsey and received the Bronze Star.

Today we have the alternatives of FCR, monoclonal antibodies, -all the ...mab treatments - BTK inhibitors, Chlorambucil, Venetoclax and so on and most, if not all of us can look forward to much longer survival times and survival in good health. OK, perhaps not with the burdens of office of the 1SL, but active lives none the less. Just 50 years ago, the only treatment was steroids and blood transfusions. Despite the stumbles along the way, we've a lot to be thankful for today.

[Justasheet1]

🙌🙏🏻🍾🤞

[Newdawn Administrator]

The advancement in CLL treatments and general understanding of blood cancers generally has been remarkable in the time since I was dx in 2012. CLL was undoubtedly a killer back in the time of this esteemed officer.

It occurred to me recently in visiting rheumatology after a 12 yr absence that so little appeared to have changed on the treatment landscape during that period (in comparison). I had the same tests, same examination, same advice and same medication offered as 12 yrs ago.

We have so much to be thankful for 😊

Newdawn

[Jm954 Administrator in reply to Newdawn]

There is some slow progress in rheumatology Newdawn.I have a friend with severe arthritis and she has received several hugely expensive targeted novel treatments but always with her consultant fighting on her behalf.

[Newdawn Administrator in reply to Jm954]

I think for the auto-immune types there are therapeutic advances Jackie but for osteo-arthritis, there seems very little to prevent degeneration and severe pain especially if standard anti inflammatories cannot be used.

Newdawn

[Jm954 Administrator in reply to Newdawn]

You're right Newdawn, I always automatically think of the autoimmune type of arthritis and the treatments don't apply to the osteoarthritic type.

[Big_Dee in reply to Newdawn]

Hello Newdawn

Not only has there been a great increase in leukemia treatments, but in many cases advances in treatment of blood cancer has lead to improvements in all cancer treatments.

[Jm954 Administrator]

I remember the times when we only had chlorambucil, people would be treated on and off for many years and actually many did really well with little side effects. Then came FC and it was a miracle but the addition of R made a massive difference even if some poor souls got treated with it several times. Thank goodness for all those scientists examining, testing and understanding the signalling pathways that have paved the way to the treatments we have today and those in the pipe line. Thank you too to the charity fundraisers who funded the research through charity grants to the scientists. We have much to be grateful for but the job's not done yet.

Jackie

[mrsjsmith in reply to Jm954]

Like me on Chlorambucil back in 2007 Jackie. I asked my Consultant how long he thought it would last. His reply was he would be disappointed if I needed treatment within the next two years. Delighted to have managed 9 years and no side effects.

Colette

[cajunjeff]

Nice post and thoughts.

Everyone who is diagnosed with cll today going forward , regardless of their markers, can start their cll journey with the very reasonable hope they will live a normal life expectancy.

That was not as clear just five years ago when I was diagnosed as it is now.

I was diagnosed at age 62. I remember asking my first doctor if I had any chance of making it to my eighties and him saying yes in the most unconvincing way.

But the more I read, the more I thought me getting to 80 and above was very possible, and I dumped the very nice young doctor in favor of my doctor at MD Anderson who was painting a much rosier picture for me.

I dumped the young doctor not because he was relaying bad news about the seriousness of my disease, I don't like my news sugarcoated as I often say.

I dumped him because being a general oncologist, he was clearly not up to date on the amazing advances with cll.

That, and because I actually do like my news sugarcoated, but just a little bit to keep me hoping.

[AnneHill]

My father died in 1968 of cll. He had the same treatment. He was 45 when he died. Its so sad that at age 43 I was diagnosed with cll and I could be treated.Worth remembering that in 2010 in uk FCR was gold standard. During a drugs trial it was found that the addition of Rituximab made a dramatic difference. 6 months treatment and I was UMRD. I was diagnosed 20 years ago.

I feel that those diagnosed with cll now can have hope. Anne uk