Had my first course of FCR with great blood re... - CLL Support

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Had my first course of FCR with great blood results. Consultant tells me I have the 11Q variation. What will this mean in the future ? David

Haileybury profile image
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Haileybury
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lankisterguy profile image
lankisterguyVolunteer

Hi Haileybury,

While I don't have the 11Q variant, IMO & from what I read, the variations in progression for an individual seem to be very different so just knowing that you have a 11Q deletion will not give much specific information for your future progression speed. The research doctors are trying to find more factors to improve on their prognostic predictions.

I would suggest that your time from diagnosis to your time to FCR treatment is probably as good of an indicator of how soon you might progress, as the statistical data from others with 11Q.

Len

Haileybury profile image
Haileybury

I can understand it"s impossible to predict. Diagnosis to first course of FCR was 8 weeks in my case. Obviously I had CLL for a year or even more without being aware of it. A routine blood test to check my cholesterol alerted my doctor to my CLL - thank goodness. David

lankisterguy profile image
lankisterguyVolunteer

8 weeks from dx to tx is unusually fast, are you being treated by a CLL expert doctor? Most of us go many years prior to treatment for CLL, which is handled very differently than most cancers.

If you tell us where you live we may suggest a doctor for 2nd opinion.

Cllcanada profile image
CllcanadaTop Poster CURE Hero

11q is a more aggressive type of CLL, but some CLL doctors including the late Terry Hamblin, believe that FCR treatment moves it from higher risk to a standard risk...

'CLL8 trial were becoming known. This study confirms that adding R to FC moves patients with del 11q from the high risk to the standard risk group for both PFS and overall survival. With two studies telling us this I think we can believe it.'

mutated-unmuated.blogspot.c...

Certainly FCR is the correct treatment for 11q.

bkoffman profile image
bkoffmanCLL CURE Hero

Not sure why you needed the treatment. FCR is the standard approach for 11q patients with good remissions, though they are probably shooter lived.

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