June 18th email to family from TGL

Family:

Today we met with Dr. Busby and reviewed the results of last week's bone marrow biopsy. The diagnosis is that the leukemia (AML) has returned. We spent most of the time discussing various options to proceed. The summary is as follows:

1. Do nothing. Could basically provide support via antibiotics and blood transfusions transitioning to hospice. Time to conclusion probably measured in weeks.

2. Try to put the AML back into remission and if successful, do an allogenic bone marrow transplant. There are about four drugs to use but we are opting for a new drug which is in a trial at Rocky Mtn Cancer Centers in Denver. The drug is Voreloxin combined with Cytarabine. It has shown ability to achieve remission in 30-40% of cases. If successful, then an allogenic bone marrow transplant may be an option. Without the transplant, the AML would likely return in a matter of months. Since this drug is part of a trial, it can only be administered at Presbyterian St. Luke's hospital in Denver.

Current plan is to enter the hospital on Monday. This lets me play golf on Friday! Dr. Busby has not used this drug but says that he thinks that I would be in the hospital for 7 to 10 days while the drug is administered and then be outpatient during a recovery that would be more like the earlier consolidation experience rather than induction (which was 38 days in the hospital).

Not to overwhelm you with numbers but if complete remission is achieved, then the five year survival rate following an allogenic BMT is in the 40-50% range.

I am beginning to be more public with the situation so there is no particular need to keep this information within our little clan.

I'm sure that you have further questions, as do I, but there won't be any more answers until next week. Kathleen is doing her best but I think that the "do nothing" scenario from above really hit her hard today so she can use your support.

Dad (Gordon)