Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML) is form of cancer affecting the blood cells, which is characterized by replacement of normal healthy blood cells by abnormally developed immature blast cells. Unlike the acute form of this disease, CML is a slow-growing cancer, and may take years to progress. The disease usually progresses through three distinct stages: the initial chronic phase (5% blast cells), characterized by an asymptomatic stage, the accelerated phase (15% blasts), which may last for months, and the blast crisis phase (30% blasts), in which the blasts may begin to form tumors outside of the bone marrow. The severity of the symptoms of the condition, including fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, night sweats, and abdominal pain, increase as the disease progresses from one phase to the next.
Diagnosis employs the techniques used in all forms of leukemia, including taking the Complete Blood Count, and bone biopsy. The finding of a Philadelphia chromosome in clinically suspected individuals is definitive diagnosis of the condition. CML can be managed either through chemotherapy, or bone marrow transplantation from a related donor. Interferon-alpha is one of the most relied drugs for chemotherapy. However, patients may not tolerate this drug very well, in which case, other drugs like hydroxyurea or busulfan may be administered. The most effective way to completely cure the disease however, is through bone marrow transplantation.