1. A Long Name For a Bad Disease
Leukemia is a cancer of the blood or bone marrow. The main characteristic of leukemia is the production of too many leukocytes, or white blood cells. Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) is one of four types of leukemia. While all forms involve the overproduction of white blood cells, each form attacks a different kind of white cell and in various degrees of intensity. In CML, white blood cells known as granulocytes or monocytes that fight bacteria and infection are targeted.
2. Passing Through the Phases
As with many types of cancers, there are stages or phases of CML. The three phases are: chronic, accelerated and blast crisis. In the chronic phase, CML is treatable. White cells still fight infection and the person does not display any outward symptoms of leukemia. In the accelerated phase, anemia can develop as the white cell count can go up or down and the number of platelets drops. During the blast crisis phase, the number of blast cells, or immaturely-formed blood cells, increases, leading to a dramatic drop in red blood cells and platelets. During this phase, infections and symptoms develop.
3. Heeding the Signs
CML tends to develop more slowly than acute leukemia. Some signs that a person might be suffering from CML include tiredness and weakness, shortness of breath, night sweats and weight loss. A physical examination showing an enlarged spleen, coupled with these symptoms, can be indicative of CML. It is important to note that these symptoms can be warning signs of diseases or illnesses other than CML.
4. Getting Down to the Marrow
A diagnosis of CML is made by conducting a few lab tests. Blood and bone marrow tests show the levels of white blood cells, platelets and hemoglobin. Aspiration of the bone marrow and a biopsy of the marrow best help the doctor to examine blood cells. To determine if the type of leukemia is indeed CML, a cytogenetic analysis of the chromosomes of the leukemia cells is done. Measuring the percentage of CML cells to help determine a course of treatment is found out by a lab test called fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH).
5. What You Can Do About CML
Treatment for CML is affected by the number of CML cells present in the marrow as well as the size of the spleen, the person's age and what phase the disease is in. Oral specialized medications, including oral chemotherapy tablets, can treat CML and result in remission. A stem cell transplant, more commonly called a bone marrow transplant, can cure the disease but is complicated and even life-threatening. Biological therapy such as interferon injections to boost the immune system and fight leukemia cells is not as widely used as it once was and is not without side effects but is still considered if other treatments do not work.
