Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (CML)
Alternate Names : Chronic Granulocytic Leukemia
DefinitionChronic myelogenous leukemia is a malignant cancer of the bone marrow that causes rapid growth of the blood forming cells (known as myeloid precursors) in the bone marrow, peripheral blood, and body tissues.
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Overview, Causes, & Risk Factors
The disease occurs in middle-aged people and children and is associated with a chromosome abnormality called the Philadelphia chromosome. Chronic myelogenous leukemia is characterized by a chronic phase that can last for months or years. The disease may have few or no symptoms during the chronic phase. Eventually, patients progress from the chronic phase to a more dangerous "accerated phase," during which the leukemia cells grow more quickly.
Acceleration of the disease may be associated with fever (without infection), bone pain and an enlarged spleen. Within 5 years, in most people, the disease then progresses to a "blast crisis," when there is a very high count of immature white blood cells (leukemia cells). The blast phase of the leukemia is very difficult to treat. Bleeding and infection may occur due to bone marrow failure.
Known risk factors to develop CML are exposure to ionizing radiation and benzene.
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