Update from Debbie on Jim:
Hello again, this is Debbie on Jim's computer. We just got a "glimmer" of hope a few minutes ago. Jim has been accepted for the clinical trial.
Step one is the induction therapy where Jim is getting the trial medication called clofarabine for five days where he will have it intravenously. It is not approved for use in Jim's type of leukemia but is in the experimental treatment in this clinical trial. After two weeks he will have another bone marrow biopsy to determine if there is any residual leukemia. If so, he will receive another dose of treatment. If there is no leukemia in his bone marrow, he will receive GM-CSF or G-GSF (?) once a day for 4-5 weeks.
Step 2 is either consolidation therapy or more than likely bone marrow transplant. The bone marrow transplant is if he gets a good response to the initial therapy. If he gets the consolidation therapy, he will get 2 further consolidation treatments with the same medication at a reduced amount of the medication daily for 5 days 1 month apart.
Step 3 will either be more chemo or close observation. If he receives a transplant in step 2, he will not go into step 3.
If he ends up having a transplant, I will explain more.
We both want to thank all of you for your thoughts and prayers....we can feel it.
Debbie Rinehardt