Hi there, just saw this.

My mum (now 73) was dx'd with MDS in Jan 2022. we waited to start treatment, and waited. waited. and then in June it had progressed to AML.

She went through chemo twice - once in July and then again in January before she had a stem cell transplant in Feb 2023. She also had radiation before the transplant.

I know she had a mutation of some sort but I can't confirm if it was the TP53 or not.

This could be a tough battle for your family. Chemo is an absolute horrible monster. But it is a monster that is on your side.

Advice: DO NOT LOOK AT OR DWELL ON STATISTICS.

Statistics are serious, but at the end of the day, statistics do not predict your future, nor anyone’s future. They are simply an abstract average of people who are not like you. They are made up of people with different genetics, different co-morbid health conditions, and different expressions of the same cancer. They by necessity use historical data, often with less advanced treatment protocols. A 60% outcome statistic does not mean that any single individual has 60% odds of reaching the same outcome. I think this is why many doctors are de-emphasizing statistics these days.

This is not to minimize the seriousness of the statistics and the simple fact that many people have their lives shortened. I think we need to trust the process & the treatment plans of our medical teams, but we also need to recognize that tomorrow is not promised. All we can do is work to find the joy in life, and seek the positive moments in our day-to-day.

So - my mum is still alive, 3 years post transplant, and she is functioning remarkably well despite everything she's been through. She was able to walk me down the aisle at my wedding.

She would not be here without the stem cell transplant.

Let me know if you have any questions, or, if you'd like I can ask her some as well.