Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia: Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment

Ian C. Langtree - Writer/Editor for Disabled World (DW)
Published: 2009/04/01 - Updated: 2023/01/28
Topic: Leukemia - Publications List

Page Content: Synopsis - Introduction - Main

Synopsis: Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia or CML is classified by phase chronic accelerated and blast phases. Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (CML) alternate names: Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (Blast phase), CML (Blast phase), Chronic Granulocytic Leukemia (Blast phase).

Introduction

Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (CML) is classified by phases: chronic, accelerated, and blast phase. The accelerated and blast phases of CML refer to those phases of the disease when increased immature white blood cells (blasts) are made and do not mature. When this happens, the disease behaves similarly to acute leukemia.

Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (CML) alternate names: Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (Blast phase), CML (Blast phase), Chronic Granulocytic Leukemia (Blast phase).

The U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) has included Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (CML) Blast Phase as a Compassionate Allowance to expedite a disability claim.

Main Item

Chronic myelogenous leukemia (also called CML or chronic granulocytic leukemia) is a slowly progressing blood, and bone marrow disease that usually occurs during or after middle age and rarely occurs in children.

CML is more common in males than in females (male to female ratio of 1.4:1) and appears more commonly in the elderly with a median age at diagnosis of 65 years. Exposure to ionizing radiation appears to be a risk factor, based on a 50-fold higher incidence of CML in Hiroshima and Nagasaki nuclear bombing survivors. The rate of CML in these individuals seems to peak about ten years after exposure.

Symptoms

Symptoms may include Fever, night sweats, bone pain, and weight loss. When tiredness, fever, and an enlarged spleen occur during the blast phase, it is called a blast crisis.

Diagnosis

CML is diagnosed with tests and procedures such as complete blood count (CBC), bone marrow aspiration and biopsy, cytogenic analysis of the blood and bone marrow, and reports that address the Philadelphia chromosome and molecular assay of the blood or bone marrow looking for bcr-abl gene.

To diagnose the blast phase, at least 20% of peripheral white blood cells or nucleated bone marrow cells must be blasts.

Treatment

Treatment of CML has improved with tyrosine kinase inhibitors which block the action of this molecule and its effects on white blood cell production. Standard chemotherapy agents are used along with immunotherapy (interferon) and bone marrow transplantation.

Blast phase is the final phase in the evolution of CML. It behaves like acute leukemia with rapid progression and short survival.

Author Credentials: Ian was born and grew up in Australia. Since then, he has traveled and lived in numerous locations and currently resides in Montreal, Canada. Ian is the founder, a writer, and editor in chief for Disabled World. Ian believes in the Social Model of Disability, a belief developed by disabled people in the 1970s. The social model changes the focus away from people's impairments and towards removing barriers that disabled people face daily. To learn more about Ian's background, expertise, and achievements, check out his bio.