June 2021 – Margaret's Corner

If you have been reading my blog for a while, you must know what I think of statistics. 🙄

Sure, statistics can be useful and also interesting, but only up to a point…Have a look at Prof. Stephen Jay Gould’s essay on statistics, titled “The median isn’t the message,” which really changed my outlook on myeloma statistics (all that “5-year survival” talk, I mean).

So, yes, you guessed it. Today I have a study chock full of statistics. But these are actually very interesting myeloma statistics. For example, one of the findings of the study is that the number of myeloma cases AND deaths in 2019 has more than DOUBLED since 1990. Cases…and deaths…more than doubled…in a period of 30 years? I was actually surprised…I mean, you’d think there would be at least SOME improvement. Hmmm…

Anyway, without further ado, here goes…

If your reading time is limited, the first link (below) gives a brief summary of the study. The second link will take you to the actual (full) study…much more data, yes, but much more interesting. Again, if your time is limited, just skim through it and read the Conclusions.

First link: https://www.myelomacrowd.org/multiple-myeloma-cases-double-since-1990/

Second link: https://bmccancer.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12885-021-08280-y

Incidentally, if you are an expert in the field of statistics, please leave me a comment or contact me privately…Thanks!

Ooooh…and what about Monaco??? I was shocked…!

I admit, I wasn’t always enthusiastic about the Covid-19 vaccines. Vaccines are usually tested for years and years and years before being approved…but the Covid-19 vaccines were approved within months. It seemed to go too fast, way too fast. I decided to wait and just stay at home, except for emergencies (such as trips to the vet)…

Then in April I read about a study that tested the Pfizer vaccine on MM and CLL patients. Here’s the press release published in Hematology: https://www.hematology.org/newsroom/press-releases/2021/blood-herishanu-covid-vaccine-and-cll

The press release gives the impression that our response to the vaccine is on the low end of the spectrum, 50% at the most…But keep in mind that this study was carried out only after the FIRST dose of Pfizer, and that the average age of these MM patients was 83. Clearly, more data is needed…

Still, not very encouraging…

However, any degree of protection is better than zero protection, right? I talked things over with my family doctor (a genius) and decided it was time to sign up for the vaccine.

I waited for my turn (since I am not elderly, or a healthcare worker, or a police officer, etc., my turn was based on my date of birth) and had my first dose of the Pfizer vaccine on May 22nd. No side effects whatsoever. Second dose in early July. Stefano was given the Moderna vaccine, which gave him a very sore arm for a couple of days. Like me, he’s getting his second dose in early July. Yay!

Even when we’re fully vaccinated, though, we’ll still wear a mask. With Covid variants popping up all over the place, it’s best to be safe than sorry…