Chronic Myeloid Leukemia can cause several complications, including anemia. This is a shortage of red blood cells. In other cases, it may also cause the spleen to enlarge, which can lead to abdominal discomfort or a feeling of fullness. Additionally, if CML progresses to its more advanced stages, it may resemble acute leukemia and cause more severe symptoms. It’s also possible that CML increases your changes of getting other types of cancers, like stomach cancer, lung cancer, prostate cancer and thyroid cancer. Often referred to as second cancers.
Stages of Chronic Myeloid Leukemia
When you or a loved one receives the diagnosis of chronic Myeloid leukemia, the healthcare provider also tells you in what phase the leukemia is. In CML there are 4 phases, unlike other cancers where there are stages. To make it easier to understand we made a table that provides a simple and clear view of the 4 phases.
| Phase | Description |
|---|---|
| Chronic Phase | This is the earliest stage of CML. There may be no symptoms or only mild symptoms, and the number of abnormal white blood cells is typically lower than in later stages. Treatment may involve medications called tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). |
| Accelerated Phase | In this stage, the number of abnormal white blood cells increases, and symptoms may become more severe. The disease may progress more quickly, and it may become more difficult to control with TKIs alone. |
| Blast Phase (Blast Crisis) | This is the most advanced stage of CML. There is a very high number of abnormal white blood cells, and the disease may resemble acute leukemia. Symptoms may include fatigue, weakness, fever, and signs of infection. Treatment may involve intensive chemotherapy or a bone marrow transplant. |
| Resistant CML | This occurs when the disease does not respond to standard treatments, such as TKIs, or if the disease progresses despite treatment. Resistant CML can occur at any stage of the disease and may require more aggressive treatments, such as a bone marrow transplant, to achieve remission. |
Treatment Options
After the diagnosis is made, you’ve to start treatment. The most common treatment option for (chronic) CML is with TKI’s (tyrosine kinase inhibitors). This is a form of targeted therapy. IN CML these TKI’s need to block the BCR-ABL genes, so that the abnormal cells start to die. TKIs can stop chronic myeloid leukemia from causing symptoms and make the disease go away, which is called remission. This means that tests may not show any signs of the disease. Most people with CML take TKIs for the rest of their lives to keep the disease under control and prevent it from coming back.
It’s possible that standard treatment options do not help (anymore), so other options should be sought. That’s why it’s essential to do your own extensive online research and stay up-to-date about new treatments. Have you already been diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia or another type of blood cancer, but aren’t satisfied with your treatment plan? Doing a second opinion in another hospital or oncology center is always a good idea. Start your search today:
