Abdominal pain and fever Eva, 24, became a prophet of a serious illness: the diagnosis was completely unexpected

“After feeling bad, I entered the Panevėžys Hospital. After four days of investigation, it was suspected that she had acute leukemia, so I was recommended to do a more detailed investigation at Vilnius Hospital. I had no suspicion that it could be an oncological disease, they treated me with antibiotics until the diagnosis was confirmed. In the capital they did several blood tests and, after learning the diagnosis, chemotherapy was started a few days later. All this in just one week.

At first I didn’t realize what I was hearing, but when I repeated that I had blood cancer, I turned to the window and no longer listened to what he was saying. I remember thinking that if that had already happened, I would go ahead and get treatment. I knew my uncle had died of leukemia, but that was a long time ago, maybe 35 years ago. He also knew that such a disease existed, but it was not that close. It was not only new, but also completely unexpected, ”he recalled.

Eva received chemotherapy from May to September, as well as a bone marrow transplant, media reported. Subsequently, supportive treatment with innovative drugs was started.

The interlocutor recalled how difficult it was to get out of the hospital: she was physically weakened and needed more rest between her usual activities. As he grew stronger, he gradually returned to his normal rhythm of life, participating in activities that brought him joy.

“The experience of cancer diseases has led us to pay more attention. Now I always take care of myself first and then others. The connection with some people has been strengthened, new like-minded people have emerged. After experiencing such a disease, I feel much freer. It all seems so much simpler and easier to accomplish than it used to be. I myself look at everything positively and advise others to do the same ”, Eva smiled.

The girl said her mother was very helpful and supportive during the shocking period of life, and future plans made it easier to wait for the end of treatment.

“Every morning my mother expected me to send me a message with the answers to my research. Of course, I also received a lot of support from other family members, friends, colleagues, even strangers. When I learned that the last stage of the treatment awaited me, I wanted to go home as soon as possible. I counted the days this could happen. I remember when it turned out that he was going to set me free, only my mom and I knew about it. I told the other loved ones about the next date, so my previous return was a lovely surprise.

He also had plans for what to do when he got out of the hospital, but visiting doctors every week and the pandemic situation confused them. Still, I was happy to finally be home, ”Eva said.

Today, Eva receives supportive treatment that does not cause any side effects, so she lives a full and active life. The girl moved to the capital five years ago, graduated in social work and works as an education assistant in the kindergarten “Naughty Wind”, and in her spare time she chooses various activities on the water, enjoys winter entertainment and the dance.

He was glad that he lost the stigma or discrimination of cancer because of his disease, but admitted that he knew of a number of stories that had happened to people with similar experiences.

“I hear that people with oncology don’t get a bank loan until a 10-year period has passed from referral and families can’t adopt. I believe that everyone, regardless of the circumstances, should have the same rights over everything. Healthy people also have all kinds of accidents and disease, as my experience shows, can strike at any time. People with cancer diseases often achieve remission when the disease does not return and can live normal and full lives.

Perhaps the attitude towards people who have overcome the oncological disease would change if the survivors shared more of their experiences, told how the treatment helped to return to a normal life ”, he considered.

In Lithuania, between 100 and 120 cases of acute myelogenous leukemia are diagnosed each year.

Hematologist Andrius Žučenka, hematologist at the Center for Hematology, Oncology and Transfusionology at the Santara Clinic of Vilnius University Hospital, said that acute myelogenous leukemia (hereinafter AML) is a very aggressive malignant blood disease in which the bone marrow suffers explosions.

“The appearance of the disease is due to genetic damage that occurs in hematopoietic cells. Despite our knowledge of some risk factors (prior chemotherapy or radiation therapy, constant contact with specific chemicals, heredity), in most cases we cannot say why the genetic damage that caused AML occurred. It is a rare disease, in Lithuania around 100-120 new cases are diagnosed each year, the average age of patients is 65-70 years, and men get sick more often. Unfortunately, but in rare cases, the disease affects much younger people.

The clinical course of AML is usually acute and lasts for several weeks or months. Patient symptoms include hematopoietic and healthy blood cell failure: shortness of breath, dizziness, very high general weakness due to red blood cells (lack of red blood cells), bacterial, fungal, viral infections due to lack of white blood cells (leukocytes) and blood in the gums, spontaneous bruising or even life-threatening bleeding due to low platelet count, ”said A. Zhuchenko.

The latest targeted therapy preparations are also available to patients in Lithuania.
According to him, the standard treatment to cure the patient is intensive high-dose chemotherapy, and the detection of specific genetic lesions in the leukemic cells is accompanied by additional target therapy.

“Once the majority of cancer cells are destroyed and remission is achieved, most patients need a bone marrow transplant, after which a new and healthy hematopoiesis and immune system develop in the patient’s body that fights the remaining cancer cells. This treatment is generally given to younger patients who are in good physical condition. Elderly and inferior patients with comorbid conditions should not receive this treatment due to the high risk of serious complications. However, these patients also have at least some non-intensive treatment options based on targeted therapy that, in most cases, also allow for shorter or longer remissions. This is a breakthrough in hematology, as until a few years ago, these patients essentially had no effective treatment options. We are very pleased that the latest targeted therapies for the treatment of AML are available at the Santara Clinics Hematology, Oncology and Transfusion Center, ”said the hematologist.

A. Zhuchenko emphasized the importance of supportive treatment for AML; this is exactly the treatment currently applied to Eva.

“Eva is participating in a large-scale international clinical trial investigating new target therapy drugs to see if they improve treatment outcomes when used in combination with chemotherapy and supportive care after bone marrow transplantation. She continues supportive care and it is completely healthy, we do not detect leukemic cells even in the most sensitive tests The entire Hematology, Oncology and Transfusion Center of Clínicas Santara is very satisfied with these results and wishes Eva health and all the best.

Supportive care for acute myeloid leukemia is particularly important, as a large proportion of patients who have achieved remission return to the disease. Numerous clinical trials are currently underway to investigate different classes of drugs, their combinations, that would be safe and reduce the risk of AML relapse. We will likely have a greater arsenal of supportive care in the years to come. Until then, it is very important to give patients the opportunity to participate in clinical trials during which they can receive the most up-to-date medications and thus increase their chances of recovery. The Santara Clinic Hematology, Oncology and Transfusiology Center is currently conducting two clinical trials for patients with AML, as well as several hopeful programs that allow patients to receive state-of-the-art medications completely free of charge, ”he said. .

Reimbursement for innovative medicines delayed

Ieva Drėgvienė, president of the Kraujas Association, which unites blood cancer patients, noted that despite the improvement in the availability of treatment for some oncohematological diseases, even with the change in the drug evaluation system in Lithuania, the requests for new drugs are delayed. According to her, due to the stalled drug reimbursement process, doctors face poorer options for advanced therapies.

“We can be happy that acute leukemia patients in Lithuania have access to advanced treatment methods and a particularly high level of competence from physicians. Hematologists do their best to give patients access to innovative treatments, clinical trials, and hopeful programs that give patients a better chance of overcoming the disease.

Still, it is unfortunate that the reimbursement process for innovative drugs is lengthy, and at this point, it can be said that it has completely stalled. And although the Pharmacy Law establishes a period for the time that decisions on the reimbursement of medicines must be made, it is ignored. We are probably well aware of the consequences of delaying such decisions; unfortunately, some patients die without treatment. I believe that the responsible institutions, namely the Ministry of Health, should make greater efforts to improve the availability of innovative medicines and seek to attract as many clinical trials and hopeful programs as possible, ”said I. Drėgvienė.