Iss this time to start treatment???

[AAli]

Hi All,

Diagnosed in April 2015 with ALC 132 and in yesterday's test ALC is 248.

Is ALC is only indicator to determine time for treatment?

Platelets are in range, HG/RBC are also in range but at lower end.

Thanks

[AussieNeil Administrator]

Hi AAli,

Exceeding a specific ALC number is not a trigger for starting treatment. An ALC doubling in less than 6 months may be, but it depends on other symptoms. CLL specialists are unlikely to start treatment if the patient is otherwise feeling well. In your case, your ALC is increasing by (248-132)/(Nov2016-Apr2015 or 19(months)) or 116/19 or 6/month. So to double from 132 to 264 will take around 132/6 or 22 months. That's far slower than under 6 months.

Read: healthunlocked.com/cllsuppo...

Yes you have a fairly high ALC, but we have a few members with still higher counts.

Note that I have occasionally heard of oncologists who are ignorant about the CLL guidelines on when to treat, becoming nervous when a CLL patient's ALC approaches 100 and incorrectly recommending treatment: healthunlocked.com/cllsuppo...

Don't let that happen to you.

Neil

[AAli in reply to AussieNeil]

Thanks Neil, feeling better now

[HAIRBEAR_UK Founder Admin]

There are many factors that may impact on when to start treatment, not just the ALC numbers as Neil mentions. My own consultant also reminded me that as well as the many indications of the guidelines, we are also individuals and our own reamining physical reserves and ability to manage a treatment can be a factor . A consultant with special knowledge of your CLL and your holistic health is most appropriately placed to help find that "sweet spot", if you are well and all other indicators are good. that may be some way of yet

[devonrr]

My score was 265 after being over 200 for 15 months but that wasn't the reason for treatment. My HB slowly fell over the year to below 10. or 100. At 9.4/94 they decided to treat before a lower HB result would cause problems. They did give the HB results time to go back up but the trend was down.

[AAli in reply to devonrr]

thanks friend. my HB is good in range