[spasticone]

The benefits and harms of high risk Chemotherapy:

Consider the case of and individual who was diagnosed with the chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). This person responded well to initial oral chemotherapy treatments and CML has entered in a latent phase. However, at this point his oncologist outlines his future options. He could continue with the interferon alpha and the CML could remain in its latent phase for years- but there is no way of knowing how long this latent phase would last. Or, if he wants to be cured, he could have high dose chemotherapy and stem cell transplant. This is a very aggressive treatment that is the only therapy proven to cure CML. However, the risk of this treatment is substantial and it is not inconceivable that he could die from the treatment itself. is there a moral reason to perfer one course of treatment over the other?