“May all be happy, may all be healed, may all be at peace and may no one ever suffer."
Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is a type of blood cancer that affects the bone marrow, which is the spongy tissue inside bones where blood cells are made. In CML, there is a genetic mutation that causes the bone marrow to produce too many white blood cells, which can crowd out normal blood cells and lead to various symptoms.
CML usually develops slowly and may not cause symptoms in the early stages. However, as the number of abnormal white blood cells increases, symptoms may develop, including:
CML is diagnosed through blood tests, bone marrow tests, and imaging studies to assess the extent of the disease. Treatment options for CML include targeted therapy with tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), chemotherapy, and stem cell transplant. TKIs are the mainstay of treatment and work by blocking the signals that promote the growth of abnormal white blood cells. Stem cell transplant is a more aggressive treatment option that involves replacing the diseased bone marrow with healthy bone marrow from a donor.
The prognosis for CML has improved significantly in recent years, with many patients able to achieve long-term remission or even cure with TKI therapy or stem cell transplant. However, long-term follow-up is required to monitor for potential relapse and the development of treatment-related complications.