Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (CML)

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 "remission." For most people, that doesn't meanthe cancer is completely gone, but it's less active than before. You can be in remission for many years.

CML usually happens when you're middle-aged or older. 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. The're called leukemia cells and when they show up in your bloodstream there's less room for healthy blood cells.

Causes

Most people will never know what caused them to get it from your parents or from infections. 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.

Symptoms

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 ti 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