Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (CML): Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment. What Is Chronic Myeloid Leukemia? Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) is a cancer that affects your blood cells and bone marrow - - the soft part inside your bones where blood cells are made. You may also hear your doctor call it chronic myeloid leukemia. It's the same disease, just a different name. With treatment, you may go into what's called . You can be in remission for many years. CML usually happens when you're middle- aged or older. Chronic myelogenous leukemia — Comprehensive overview covers diagnosis, treatment of CML. The symptoms tend to come on gradually. Many of them can also be signs of other illnesses. For instance, you might feel tired, lose weight when you're not trying to, or sometimes get a fever. The disease starts with a problem in the genes of your blood cells. Sections of two different chromosomes switch places and make a new abnormal one. This new chromosome leads your body to make white blood cells that don't work as they should. Your smoking habits and diet don't seem to raise your chance of getting it either. The only known risk is if you've been in contact with high levels of radiation. Continued. Symptoms. Types of Leukemia. Leukemia is classified by how quickly it progresses. Acute leukemia is fast-growing and chronic leukemia is slow-growing. Info about myelogenous. Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (CML) is referred to by a variety of names, such as chronic granulocytic, chronic myelocytic, or chronic myeloid leukemia. Publications with cancer information for cancer patients, caregivers and loved ones are available at CancerCare. For most people dealing with CML (chronic myeloid leukemia), the new treatments provide a bridge to a new life. This site consists of conferences on CML, testimonials. Early symptoms of leukemia may include fatigue, fever, and pain or a feeling of fullness below the ribs. This eMedTV Web page discusses early symptoms of leukemia in. Leukemia is cancer of the blood cells. Get the facts on leukemia (cancer of the bone marrow, blood) symptoms, survival rates, diagnosis, causes, signs, types (acute. WebMD explains the causes, symptoms, and treatment of chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), also known as chronic myeloid leukemia. CML has three phases: chronic, accelerated, and blastic. Your symptoms depend on which one you're in. Chronic phase. It's the earliest stage and the easiest to treat. You might not even have symptoms. Accelerated phase. During this period, the number of blood cells that don't work right increases. You're more likely to get some of these symptoms: Feel very tired. Have a fever. Get bruises. Have night sweats. Be short of breath. Lose some weight. Feel less hungry. Get swelling or pain on your left side (which could be a sign of an enlarged spleen)Feel pain in your bones. Other symptoms may include stroke, changes in your vision, ringing in your ears, you feel like you're in a daze, and you get prolonged erections. Blastic phase. The leukemia cells multiply and crowd out healthy blood cells and platelets. In this stage, you'll have more severe symptoms, including: Infections. Bleeding. Skin changes including bumps, tumors. Swollen glands. Bone pain. Getting a Diagnosis. If you have symptoms, your doctor will want to know: What problems have you noticed? How long have your symptoms been happening? Do your symptoms come and go or are they constant? What makes you feel better or worse? Are you taking any medication? Your doctor may do more tests to confirm the diagnosis, such as: Complete blood count. It's a blood test that checks to see how many white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets you have. Bone marrow test. It helps you figure out how advanced your cancer is. Your doctor uses a needle to take a sample, usually from your hip bone. FISH test (fluorescence in situ hybridization). It's a detailed lab test of your genes. Ultrasound or CT scans. They can check the size of your spleen. Ultrasounds use sound waves to make images that doctors and other medical professionals can read. A CT is an X- ray that takes a series of pictures inside your body. Polymerase chain reaction test. It's a lab test that looks for the BCR- ABL gene, which is involved in the process that tells your body to make too many of the wrong kind of white blood cells. Continued. Questions for Your Doctor. Have you treated someone with CML before? What tests should I take to confirm a diagnosis? What phase of CML am I in? What treatment do you recommend for me? How will the therapy make me feel? What if the treatment doesn't work? How do I find a support group? Treatment. The goal of your treatment is to destroy the leukemia blood cells in your body and restore healthy ones to a normal level. It's usually not possible to get rid of all the bad cells. If you get treatment during the early, chronic phase of CML, it can help prevent the disease from moving to a more serious level. Doctors usually give drugs known as tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) first. They slow down the rate at which your body makes leukemia cells. Some TKIs that are commonly used include: Dasatinib (Sprycel)Imatinib (Gleevec)Nilotinib (Tasigna)You may get bosutinib (Bosulif) and ponatinib (Iclusig) if other drugs don't help or make you too sick. If your disease continues to get worse after you've used two or more TKIs, your doctor may suggest a drug called omacetaxine mepesuccinate (Synribo). Other CML treatment options include chemotherapy and biologic therapy, which uses a medication called interferon to help stir up action in your immune system - - your body's defense against germs. A stem cell transplant might cure some patients. It's a complicated procedure that's usually done only when your other treatments aren't working. Stem cells are in the news a lot, but usually when you hear about them they're referring to . The stem cells in a stem cell transplant are different. These are cells that live in your bone marrow and help make new blood cells. When you get a stem cell transplant, a donor will supply the new stem cells. You'll need to get on a waiting list to find a donor who is the right match you so that your body doesn't . If that doesn't work out, you need to get on a list of potential donors from strangers. Sometimes the best odds for the right stem cells for you will be from someone who is in the same racial or ethnic group as you. Continued. Self- Care. Make sure you tell your doctor about any medicines you take. Some don't mix well with the treatments for CML. Follow your doctor's treatment plan, eat healthy, and exercise when you feel up to it. What to Expect. CML is often a slow- growing form of cancer. Although it's hard to get rid of completely, many people live long lives with it. Once you're diagnosed, you should see a hematologist- oncologist, a doctor with special training in blood diseases, especially cancer. He'll come up with a treatment plan for you. Always feel free to get a second opinion from another doctor if you feel you want one. Getting Support. Make sure you reach out to your family and friends for the emotional backing you need. They can be a huge help as you manage your disease. It also helps to talk to others who have CML. Ask your doctor about how to join a support group, where you can meet people who are going through the same things you are. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society can help you find services and support. It has up- to- date information about treating and living with CML, including help for caregivers. Sources. SOURCES: The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society: . All rights reserved.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. Archives
August 2017
Categories |