KESJ: 12 August 2009

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

12 August 2009

The bone marrow transplant doctor rang this morning with good news. Although he does not have the MRD from Monday's bone marrow aspirate, he is happy with the initial results and told us that Jeremy can go ahead with his bone marrow transplant! Praise God! Jeremy will be admitted on 17 August for a week of chemo followed by a week's break, then 4 days of TBI on 1 September and the bone marrow transplant on 7 September. Thanks to all who have been praying about this for Jeremy!

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Definitions

Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (ALL) - a rapidly progressing cancer of the blood and bone marrow. ALL affects the type of developing white blood cells known as lymphocytes. It is the most common form of childhood leukaemia, and the most common type of childhood cancer. It also occurs in adults.

Blast cells - immature blood cells normally found in the bone marrow. Blast cells normally constitute up to 5% of all bone marrow cells. These cells divide and replenish all the normal blood cells in the marrow and circulating blood. Acute leukaemia is characterised by an accumulation of abnormal blast cells that take over the marrow and spill out into the blood stream.

Bone marrow transplant - the process of replacing bone marrow cells (stem cells) that are unhealthy, with stem cells that are healthy. The healthy stem cells are re-infused intravenously through the central line, after very strong chemotherapy and/or radiation to kill unhealthy stem cells. The re-infusion of healthy stem cells essentially rescues the patient from the chemotherapy and/or radiation, by enabling his or her bone marrow to start producing new blood cells.