I got my last infusion of CNTO 320 a week ago Tuesday. The drug was free of any noticeable side effects. About the only thing I noticed was an increase in cholesterol and triglycerides. It’s not certain what effect the treatment is having on my MM though. This was a phase I trial, so we’re the first humans to get the drug. The doctors think that it may take a while for it to work, so it could be a wait and see situation. I’m not sure how long we’ll wait though. I have a bone marrow biopsy, labs and xrays next week so we’ll see how that goes. I’ve been disappointed in my labs so far though. Before the first infusion, my IgA was in the 1600s. Last week, it was in the 2100s. If the next reports show an improvement or stable disease, I can qualify for more. If not, it’s time to try something else.
Here’s where the difficult choice needs to be made. I can do another trial at UNC. There’s one that I talked about before: Velcade vs Velcade + Doxil. That’s a harsher treatment than I’ve ever had before. It could worsen my PN. Maybe not though. I won’t know until I try it.