I just discovered I have leukemia

My husband was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia on December 2023 flow cytometry tests that reveal a collection of differently labeled leukemia cells. His oncologist told us the test results at the end of February 2024- two months after knowing about the cytometry results.

The oncologist recommends zero treatment because he has stage 3 kidney disease, red cell blood cancer with a slow decline over six years, and is age 82.

Anyone?? Experience with an elderly person with acute myeloid leukemia, possible treatment? The oncologist is fatalistic, says call hospice. But it's been two months since flow cytometry revealed leukemia cells, and he is doing ok, tired as usual from his red cell cancer, but not rapidly declining.

Any hope for treatment that you know of?

Thank you both for responding!

He has an oncologist who diagnosed AML. He has a hematologist with an appointment early in April to discuss possibilities- could not get in any sooner. We will have a talk about treatment to slow progression! Thanks, as I was thinking this may be hopeless based upon discussion with the oncologist.

Also will click on that link above.
Thanks!

Thank you both for responding!

He has an oncologist who diagnosed AML. He has a hematologist with an appointment early in April to discuss possibilities- could not get in any sooner. We will have a talk about treatment to slow progression! Thanks, as I was thinking this may be hopeless based upon discussion with the oncologist.

Also will click on that link above.
Thanks!

Hello Lori, and everyone! I hope the quest to better health is getting better for you each day. I was diagnosed with DLBCL and peripheral T-Lymphoma in August of last year. I am so overwhelmed. My last R-CHOP cycle was 2 months ago. Following a scan, my Oncologist/Hematologist, mentioned a positive reaction to treatment, and remission. I was overjoyed, but almost 3 weeks later he called to say that for some unknown reason, I was missing/was never given Rituximab at one of my 6 cycles/treatments, and that I should schedule a time as soon as possible to get this 'missing' drug on its own weeks after 'my last treatment.' Which I did with much sadness and anxiety, as well as fear of the unknow of this inconsistency in my treatment. He then called 3 weeks later to say he'd like to take a closer look at my b-cells. I then had a flow cytometry which reflected 0.03% of phenotypic abnormalities. He then went on to recommend a stem cell transplant as a preventive measure. After understanding what this invasive procedure entailed, I asked about alternative treatments, including another R-CHOP cycle, monthly Rituximab, CART-T Cell etc. He insisted the transplant was the only option. I then discovered that I was only prescribed Prednisone only once or twice of the 6 treatments. When I saw him last week, I asked him about this and wanted some reassurance as to the best course of action with this new information. He reluctantly checked to confirm what I was telling him, and basically said "the nurses who administer the infusions are accountable, they should ensure you're taking your prednisone." I then told him the nurses do not prescribe meds and they just follow through on his requests, to which he tried to blame me by saying "it hasn't been easy getting you in here." I was appalled, disappointed and shocked. A case of shifting blame, so I quickly reminded him that I showed up for every infusion treatment, and that Prednisone gets called in to my local pharmacy. At that point, he offered no answers, apologies or remedial fix, instead he stated " Well we can't argue about that now, this is where we are, and we need to move forward, and I then went to the lab for more bloodwork for typing /donor matching-since I was already there. This entire situation has caused much angst, and with an already overwhelming situation, this feels so wrong, dismissive and exploitative. I am posting to please garner feedback, thoughts, etc., and would appreciate and embrace all of the above, to help me in my decision -making process. Thank you and the best of health outcomes to everyone on this platform and their friends and family members who are dealing with this and other health issues. Take care.

Hello Lori, and everyone! I hope the quest to better health is getting better for you each day. I was diagnosed with DLBCL and peripheral T-Lymphoma in August of last year. I am so overwhelmed. My last R-CHOP cycle was 2 months ago. Following a scan, my Oncologist/Hematologist, mentioned a positive reaction to treatment, and remission. I was overjoyed, but almost 3 weeks later he called to say that for some unknown reason, I was missing/was never given Rituximab at one of my 6 cycles/treatments, and that I should schedule a time as soon as possible to get this 'missing' drug on its own weeks after 'my last treatment.' Which I did with much sadness and anxiety, as well as fear of the unknow of this inconsistency in my treatment. He then called 3 weeks later to say he'd like to take a closer look at my b-cells. I then had a flow cytometry which reflected 0.03% of phenotypic abnormalities. He then went on to recommend a stem cell transplant as a preventive measure. After understanding what this invasive procedure entailed, I asked about alternative treatments, including another R-CHOP cycle, monthly Rituximab, CART-T Cell etc. He insisted the transplant was the only option. I then discovered that I was only prescribed Prednisone only once or twice of the 6 treatments. When I saw him last week, I asked him about this and wanted some reassurance as to the best course of action with this new information. He reluctantly checked to confirm what I was telling him, and basically said "the nurses who administer the infusions are accountable, they should ensure you're taking your prednisone." I then told him the nurses do not prescribe meds and they just follow through on his requests, to which he tried to blame me by saying "it hasn't been easy getting you in here." I was appalled, disappointed and shocked. A case of shifting blame, so I quickly reminded him that I showed up for every infusion treatment, and that Prednisone gets called in to my local pharmacy. At that point, he offered no answers, apologies or remedial fix, instead he stated " Well we can't argue about that now, this is where we are, and we need to move forward, and I then went to the lab for more bloodwork for typing /donor matching-since I was already there. This entire situation has caused much angst, and with an already overwhelming situation, this feels so wrong, dismissive and exploitative. I am posting to please garner feedback, thoughts, etc., and would appreciate and embrace all of the above, to help me in my decision -making process. Thank you and the best of health outcomes to everyone on this platform and their friends and family members who are dealing with this and other health issues. Take care.

I’m a family of 6 my parents are poor so there is no how i can get my self treatment with this leukemia and i read it online that some hospital in abroad like Mayo Clinic treat leukemia but my family and i don’t have the financial ability to come to Mayo Clinic from Nigeria

When the type of Leukemia has chronic in front of it, it can be treated successfully. I have T Cell Large Granular Leukemia and it is a Chronic form of Leukemia. I'm very proud of your husband for giving up smoking. I lost 6 brothers to lung cancer. Not one of them was willing to give up smoking. I think that you were given a lot of sound advice on this forum.