Hi, every one.
I am assisting a 25 year old JW undergoing chemo-therapy for nonseminoma testicular cancer, which has apparently metastasised to some thoracic muscles and the lungs. He is on a regimen of Bleomycin, Etoposide and Cisplatin. However, the doctors want to delay the next treatment because his neutrophil count has dropped to 0.1. We have suggested the use of Neulaster or Neupogen to speed up the production of neutrophils, but the doctor to whom I spoke (not the oncologist) said they could not use it as the chemo has affected the bone marrow. He said that if they used Neupogen it would have to be before the chemo. I have done some reading, and I can't find any information to substantiate the doctor's claim.
The young man is naturally worried as the oncologist told him that delaying chemo can result in the cancer tissue becoming resistant. This is a regional public hospital about 35km from Brisbane where the major hospitals are more experienced with, and generally more cooperative toward JWs. I am not sure if the doctor has a piont or the problem is inexperience.
Can anybody tell me if the doctor's claims reasonable.? If not, does any one have any information that I can use to persuade the hospital to start using Neupogen? I would appreciate any help available.
Mark Jacobson.
HLC Brisbane,
Australia.