Chronic Myeloid Leukemia
It is the cancer of myeloid cells
What are the Symptoms?
Most of the patients are detected on routine checkups. Rarely massive splenomegaly, Fatigue, fever weight loss can be seen in advanced cases.
What is the cause of CML?
Cause is mostly unidentified. It is thought to be secondary to a gene mutation in the body. What are the stages of CML? It is staged from CML in chronic phase, Accelerated phase and Blast phase depending in the number of blasts and other blood parameters.
How is it diagnosed?
It is diagnosed with the help of a special test called PCR/FISH for bcr-abl.
What happens if the patient is not treated?
These patients can have massive splenomegaly compromising their appetite. Eventually they can transform to high grade cancers like CML in blast crisis.
What is the treatment?
Treatment is with an oral medicine called tyrosine kinase inhibitors.
Is cure possible in CML?
Yes, attempts to discontinue the medicines are successfully being made under the guidance of trained hematologists.
What happens if there is no response to these medicines?
Risk category determines the likely outcome of any treatment in the patient i.e the chances of cure.
What happens if the patient is not treated?
If the tyrosine kinase inhibitors are not showing response, a mutation study is ordered, n what drug would be best suited for these patient is identified. However if patient fails two lines of therapy, or presents with blast crisis they should be considered for a transplant