Thais Murdoch

By SCCA staff · January 1, 2015

In 2004 at age 50, Thais Murdoch was diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), a chronic bone marrow disease that affects blood-forming stem cells and leads to low levels of blood cells in the bloodstream. It started out as a mild disease for Thais, a physical therapist living in Miami, Florida.

Bone marrow The soft, spongy material in the center of your bones that produces all your blood cells, such as white blood cells, red blood cells and platelets. Stem cell A cell from which other types of cells develop. For example, blood cells develop from blood-forming stem cells.

Myelodysplastic syndrome survivor

Diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome in 2004 at age 50
Treated with standard therapy near her home in Miami, Florida
Consulted with SCCA in 2013 about bone marrow transplant to halt her disease
Received transplant in 2014; experiencing mild graft-versus-host disease

She first received treatment near her home with erythropoietin (Epogen, Eprex, Procrit), a medication that stimulates bone marrow to make more red blood cells, for about three years. When that started to fail, she was treated with a similar medication, darbepoetin alfa (Aranesp), for a while. Eventually, lenalidomide (Revlimid), a new medication at the time, was approved for MDS patients. Thais took lenalidomide for about five years, but it lowers white blood cell and platelet counts and can have other side effects.

Mild stroke a turning point in treatment

Her doctors recommended transfusions to increase her blood cell count, but Thais declined. “Being in the medical field, I knew that was the last step to take with my disease,” she said. “Starting transfusions was going to cause me to have more and more transfusions.”

Then, in 2012, Thais had a mild stroke, possibly linked to lenalidomide, according to her doctors, because it increases the risk for blood clots. Her doctors started talking about a bone marrow transplant as her only remaining treatment option—and a possible cure.

“That’s when my sister started doing research,” Thais recalled. “She learned that the best place in the world for a bone marrow transplant is Fred Hutch and Seattle Cancer Care Alliance (SCCA).”

Hope and a transplant for MDS at SCCA

Thais came to SCCA in October 2013 and met with Michael L. Linenberger, MD, medical director for Apheresis and Cellular Therapy at SCCA. “I recall well the good news that I was a candidate for a stem cell transplant,” Thais said. “He explained, very clearly and with diagrams, about my disease and why I needed a transplant as soon as possible. Best of all, he gave me hope!”

Thais required an allogeneic bone marrow transplant, which meant she’d need donor bone marrow cells. It turned out that her sister, Taous Sawyer, from Bellingham, Washington, was a perfect match and would donate bone marrow for Thais’ procedure.

Getting temporary housing and financial help

As a health care provider herself, Thais is familiar with medicine and hospitals. “What we have here [at SCCA] is a fairy tale. I’m amazed every time I come up,” she said.

Transplants are a long-term treatment, requiring a month of conditioning, at least a month in the hospital, and then 100 days living nearby for post-transplant recovery since patients are essentially rebuilding their immune system during this time. So before she could begin the transplant process, Thais needed a place to stay in Seattle.

“But housing is expensive,” she said, “and some people can’t afford it. At SCCA, they help you figure out ways to make it work, including the SCCA Family Assistance Fund.” She received help from this fund and has been able to stay at SCCA House during her treatment visits. Between treatments she lives with her sister in Bellingham.

“It was hard to accept help because I was so independent as a single mom,” Thais said. “But it’s important to have family and friends to help you when you have MDS.”

Thais began her transplant conditioning on March 19, 2014, and received her transplant on April 22. “I was in the hospital for three weeks, and everyone was so wonderful! All of the doctors and nurses, even the janitors, were all so nice,” Thais said.

After transplant: Graft-versus-host disease

Many who receive transplanted donor cells, even though closely matched, experience graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), in which the transplanted cells recognize the recipient’s tissues as foreign and attack them. Thais developed GVHD in her intestinal tract, with symptoms ranging from constipation to loose stools to indigestion. She was treated with a zero-fiber diet and prednisone and is doing better now.

A few months after transplant, Thais had a bone marrow biopsy and learned, disappointingly, that her disease was still there. Bart Lee Scott, MD, medical oncologist at SCCA, started her on 21-day cycle of treatment with azacitidine (Mylosar, Vidaza), a chemotherapy drug that interferes with the growth and spread of myelodysplastic cells in the body.

‘They never give up’

“It’s a new treatment that Dr. Scott is excited about,” Thais said. It put her MDS in remission in September 2014. She’ll continue the treatment through March 2015, and after three clean bone marrow scans (one every three months) she’ll be able to stop. “Thank God and the BEST doctors in the world.”

Though she looks forward to her treatment being over, Thais is apprehensive about leaving the safety of SCCA. “The doctors and nurses talk to you in a way that you can understand. You’re part of the care. They never give up, and they always have something to offer. I am afraid to leave all that,” she said. “They teach you how to stay healthy here.”

Apheresis A procedure in which blood is taken out of the body, part of the blood is removed, and the rest of the blood is infused back into the body. Biopsy The removal of a sample of tissue or fluid that is examined to see whether cancer is present. This may be done with a large needle or through surgical removal of tissue or fluids. Bone marrow The soft, spongy material in the center of your bones that produces all your blood cells, such as white blood cells, red blood cells and platelets. Bone marrow transplant The process of treating disease with high doses of chemotherapy, radiation therapy or both. Bone marrow or peripheral blood stem cells are given after treatment to help the body make more blood cells. The process of treating disease with high doses of chemotherapy, radiation therapy or both. Because this treatment destroys the bone marrow’s ability to produce blood cells, bone marrow or peripheral blood stem cells are given after treatment to help the body make more blood cells. Bone marrow transplant The process of treating disease with high doses of chemotherapy, radiation therapy or both. Bone marrow or peripheral blood stem cells are given after treatment to help the body make more blood cells. The process of treating disease with high doses of chemotherapy, radiation therapy or both. Because this treatment destroys the bone marrow’s ability to produce blood cells, bone marrow or peripheral blood stem cells are given after treatment to help the body make more blood cells. Chemotherapy Treatment that uses drugs to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. It may be given alone or with other treatments. Treatment that uses drugs to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Chemotherapy may be given by mouth, injection, infusion or on the skin, depending on the type and stage of the cancer being treated. It may be given alone or with other treatments, such as surgery, radiation therapy or biologic therapy. Conditioning Treatments to prepare patients for stem cell transplantation. May include chemotherapy, monoclonal antibody therapy and radiation. The treatments used to prepare a patient for stem cell transplantation (a procedure in which a person receives blood stem cells, which make any type of blood cell). A conditioning regimen may include chemotherapy, monoclonal antibody therapy and radiation to the entire body. It helps make room in the patient’s bone marrow for new blood stem cells to grow; prevent the patient's body from rejecting the transplanted cells; and kill any cancer cells that are in the body. Graft-versus-host disease A condition that occurs when donated stem cells or bone marrow (the graft) see the healthy tissues in the patient’s body (the host) as foreign and attack them. Medical oncologist A physician who has special training in diagnosing and treating cancer in adults using chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, biological therapy and targeted therapy. A physician who has special training in diagnosing and treating cancer in adults using chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, biological therapy and targeted therapy. A medical oncologist is often the main health care provider for someone who has cancer. A medical oncologist also gives supportive care and may coordinate treatment given by other specialists. Platelet A tiny, disc-shaped piece of a cell that is found in the blood and spleen. Platelets help form blood clots to slow or stop bleeding and to help wounds heal. A tiny, disc-shaped piece of a cell that is found in the blood and spleen. Platelets are pieces of very large cells in the bone marrow called megakaryocytes. They help form blood clots to slow or stop bleeding and to help wounds heal. Having too many or too few platelets, or having platelets that do not work as they should, can cause problems. Checking the number of platelets in the blood may help diagnose certain diseases or conditions. Prednisone A drug used to reduce inflammation and lower the body’s immune response. It is also used alone or with other drugs to prevent or treat many conditions. A drug used to reduce inflammation and lower the body’s immune response. It is used with other drugs to treat leukemia, lymphoma and mycosis fungoides (a type of skin lymphoma). It is also used alone or with other drugs to prevent or treat many other conditions. These include conditions related to cancer and its treatment, such as anemia (a low level of red blood cells) and allergic reactions. Prednisone is a type of therapeutic glucocorticoid. Red blood cell A type of blood cell that carries oxygen in the body. Remission A decrease in, or disappearance of, signs and symptoms of cancer. A decrease in, or disappearance of, signs and symptoms of cancer. In partial remission, some (but not all) signs and symptoms of cancer have disappeared. In complete remission, all signs and symptoms of cancer have disappeared, although cancer still may be in the body. Side effects A problem that occurs when treatment affects healthy tissues or organs. Some side effects of cancer treatment are nausea, vomiting, fatigue, pain, decreased blood cell counts, hair loss and mouth sores. Standard care A treatment or other intervention currently being used and considered to be of proven effectiveness based on past studies. Stem cell A cell from which other types of cells develop. For example, blood cells develop from blood-forming stem cells. Stem cell A cell from which other types of cells develop. For example, blood cells develop from blood-forming stem cells. Symptom A physical or mental problem that a person experiences that may indicate a disease or condition. Symptoms cannot be seen and do not show up on medical tests. A physical or mental problem that a person experiences that may indicate a disease or condition. Symptoms cannot be seen and do not show up on medical tests. Some examples of symptoms are headache, fatigue, nausea and pain. White blood cell A type of blood cell that is made in the bone marrow and found in the blood and lymph tissue. White blood cells are part of the body’s immune system and help the body fight infection and other diseases. A type of blood cell that is made in the bone marrow and found in the blood and lymph tissue. White blood cells are part of the body’s immune system. They help the body fight infection and other diseases. Types of white blood cells include granulocytes (neutrophils, eosinophils and basophils), monocytes and lymphocytes (T cells and B cells). Checking the number of white blood cells in the blood is usually part of a complete blood cell (CBC) test. It may be used to look for conditions such as infection, inflammation, allergies and leukemia. Also called leukocyte and WBC.

Tags ·

myelodysplastic syndrome

Dr. Michael Linenberger

South Lake Union House

Fred Hutch Family Assistance Fund

Dr. Bart Scott

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