High-Dose Cyclophosphamide is a trial therapy that
has shown successful results in patients with Severe Aplastic Anemia. This therapy combines High-Dose Cytoxan chemotherapy
with a growth factor, GCSF. Cyclophosphamide is the generic name for the brand Cytoxan. The Cytoxan destroys all lymphocites
but leaves healthy stem cells intact. After the treatment the stem cells begin to produce lymphocites without any abnormalities.
It appears that the treatment can cure most cases of severe aplastic anemia with low rates of relapse and very few side
effects. I received this protocol from Dr. Robert Brodsky at the Sidney Kimmell Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins hospital in
Baltimore, Maryland. I am not a medical expert but in my personal opinion from what I observed, Dr. Brodsky is a brilliant
doctor who has created a credible treatment that has the potential to save many lives.
My treatment began with a week of tests. I was then
checked into the hospital for five days to be given chemotherapy. I had little immediate reaction to the chemotherapy. Some
nausea and blurred vision. After my course of chemo, I was put into out patient. Ten days after the chemotherapy, they infused
the growth factor GCSF or also known as neupogen. This infusion was to be given daily until my white blood counts reached
1000. It was a 30 minute easy infusion. I did have to get blood product daily usually and this is quite a long process. It
was rare that I would go into IPOP (In Patient/Out Patient Care) and just have to get the growth factor. It took about a month
to see results. Once my white counts appeared they went up and down for a couple weeks, but stayed strong. They reached
1000 and I was able to return home where I resumed the follow up of my treatment from my oncologist in Arlington, Tx.
Once I came home I only had to have two transfusions within two weeks. It had only taken me three months from when I began
my treatment to become transfusion independent. I continued to see the doctor every two weeks after this for regular CBC'c
(complete blood counts).
Six months after I had begun my treatment, I went
back to Johns Hopkins for a check up with Dr. Brodsky. It was then that he declared me in remission. My blood counts
had stabilized and were almost normal. My red and white were normal, but my platelets hadn't quite reached normal. He explained
that platelets took the longest to come back and it wasn't long after that that my platelets reached normal levels. I was
then slowly taken off all medications. For a while, I was still really tired, but it seemed like everyday my energy level
would climb. I would also get colds really easily during that time. It took time for my body to return back to normal.
Now, a year from when I went into remission, I am
better than ever. My last CBC was higher than its ever been! I haven't had a cold in months. I feel great and I look great.
I have a great color. My battle with this disease has renewed my work ethic and sense of self. I feel like a better
person having gone through with this.
