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TKI vs Hydroxyurea
What happens when you switch from Hydroxyurea to a TKI medication? Looking to likely switch and want to know what to expect. Am tolerating Hydroxyurea very well, so anxious about switching.
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Hi @mjbulte Changing meds can be a little unsettling. It’s that fear of the unknown. Been there myself. But the goal is to get the most effective treatment for our conditions.
If I remember correctly you were diagnosed with CML. From my understanding hydroxyurea may be used initially for more of a pre-treatment of CML to lower white blood cells rapidly in newly diagnosed CML patients. Then they are often switched to a targeted medication (TKI). A targeted therapy identifies and attacks specific types of cancer cells while causing less damage to normal cells. Where HU is not a specifically targeted drug.
I found two articles for you that will hopefully shed some light on the med changes and help you relax a little with the decision your doctor is offering with the treatment plan going forward.
Both from the Leukemia/Lymphoma Society:
~Hydroxyurea for pre-treatment of CML
https://www.lls.org/leukemia/chronic-myeloid-leukemia/treatment/lowering-high-white-blood-cell-counts
~TKI treatments!
https://www.lls.org/leukemia/chronic-myeloid-leukemia/treatment/tyrosine-kinase-inhibitor-tki-therapy
Has your doctor discussed specific options with you?