Chronic Myelocytic Leukemia

What is Chronic Myelocytic Leukemia?

Chronic myelocytic leukemia is a disease that can occur to people of almost any age, except for children that are under age ten. Chronic myelocytic leukemia causes abnormal white blood cells to be produced throughout the body. Most of the abnormal blood cells are actually produced within the marrow of the bone. However, these abnormal blood cells may also be produced in the spleen as well. As the disease continues to progress, eventually the abnormal cells can leave the marrow and enter the blood stream, spreading throughout the body. At some point in time, this disease usually reaches a crisis point, in which the spleen swells up drastically.

Chronic Myelocytic Leukemia Statistics

About 15% of the adult leukemias that are diagnosed are actually chronic myelocytic leukemia. It most commonly affects people that are between the ages of 45 and 55, and rarely strikes young children. As a general rule, people with this type of leukemia only live about 6 months, although some may live longer and some may not live as long. While the prognosis is not good, some of the available treatments can help to prolong the life of the patient.

Causes of Chronic Myelocytic Leukemia

Doctors are not totally sure what causes chronic myelocytic leukemia; however, it does appear to run in families. Some seem to think that it is linked to the presence of a specific gene, called the Philadelphia chromosome. In fact, this chromosome is actually found to be present in more than 95% of the patients that have this disease.

Chronic Myelocytic Leukemia Symptoms

When chronic myelocytic leukemia is in the early stages, there is a good chance that no symptoms will be noticed; however, as it progresses, more and more symptoms may become apparent. In the early stages some people may begin to feel more tired than usual, notice a lack of appetite, deal with weight loss, and may feel full due to the swelling of the spleen. As the disease progresses towards a crisis, usually more and more symptoms are noticed by the patient. Some of these symptoms may include increased infections and extreme fatigue that may not have been felt in the past.

Chronic Myelocytic Leukemia Treatments

Unfortunately, most of the treatments that are available for chronic myelocytic leukemia will not actually cure the disease; however, they can help to slow down the disease’s progression to some extent. Chemotherapy is one of the most used treatments for this disease but it usually does not provide a total cure. Imatinbid, a new drug, is also used to treat this problem. It is used to help to raise the blood cell levels within the blood. Along with chemotherapy, in some cases radiation to the spleen may be used to help reduce the concentration of leukemia cells in the spleen.

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