If you’ve been diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia – also known as chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) – it’s natural to feel overwhelmed. However, finding the right medical expert and knowing your treatment options are critical first steps towards taking control of your health.
CML is a type of cancer that starts in the bone marrow, where your blood cells are made. A genetic mutation causes the bone marrow to produce too many white blood cells, particularly a type called granulocytes.
These cells don’t mature properly and crowd out healthy blood cells, leading to symptoms like fatigue, frequent infections, weight loss, fever, and a feeling of fullness in your abdomen due to an enlarged spleen.
The good news is that there are several effective treatments available for CML today, and many people with this condition go on to live full, healthy lives.
Choosing the right specialist for CML
Navigating CML can be challenging, especially when trying to find the best doctor to guide you through your treatment options. This is where tools like MediFind can make a difference. Here’s a list of leading CML experts in New York, courtesy of MediFind.
MediFind is a website designed to help you connect with top medical specialists in your area for any given health condition. It compiles medical data from multiple resources to help patients around the world connect with specialists who not only have the right qualifications, but also stay up to date on the latest treatments, research, and clinical trials.
With MediFind, you can quickly find doctors with extensive knowledge and experience who are recognized for their commitment to using the latest treatment methods.
Understanding the progression of CML
One of the key characteristics of CML is the presence of the Philadelphia chromosome, an abnormal chromosome that forms when pieces of chromosomes 9 and 22 break off and switch places. This genetic abnormality leads to the production of an abnormal protein called BCR-ABL, which causes the white blood cells to grow uncontrollably.
CML progresses – or gets worse – through three phases:
- Chronic Phase: The chronic phase is the earliest and most manageable stage of CML. During this phase, the leukemia cells (immature white blood cells) are growing, but they build up slowly. Most patients are diagnosed in this phase because it often has mild or no noticeable symptoms. Many patients feel relatively well, although some might experience symptoms like fatigue, night sweats, mild anemia, or an enlarged spleen, which can cause discomfort in the upper left side of the abdomen.
- Accelerated Phase: In this phase, the leukemia cells grow and multiply more quickly. Patients may start to notice an increase in symptoms, such as more significant fatigue, fever, weight loss, and a noticeably enlarged spleen. Blood counts will show more blast cells, typically between 10% and 19%, in the blood or bone marrow. There may also be changes in other blood cells, such as an increase in basophils (a type of white blood cell) or a decrease in healthy red blood cells and platelets.
- Blast Phase: In this phase, CML transforms into a more aggressive form similar to acute leukemia. The bone marrow and blood contain 20% or more blast cells. Patients often experience more severe symptoms, such as extreme fatigue, fever, frequent infections, bone pain, weight loss, and a significantly enlarged spleen. The blast cells in this phase may invade other parts of the body, including the bones, lymph nodes, and central nervous system. CML in the blast phase becomes much more difficult to treat, and responses to therapies are less favorable
Exploring treatment options for CML
Early diagnosis and treatment are crucial in managing CML effectively and keeping it in the chronic phase for as long as possible. The good news is that there are several effective treatments available for CML today.
Choosing the best treatment for CML depends on many factors, including the stage of your disease, your overall health, and your personal preferences. It’s important to work closely with your doctor to develop a treatment plan that’s right for you.
Here are some options:
- Targeted Therapy: This treatment uses drugs known as tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) to target the specific proteins that cause leukemia cells to grow. TKIs can be taken as pills to help control CML for many years. Because these drugs are so effective, targeted therapy is often the first treatment doctors recommend for CML.
- Chemotherapy: This type of treatment uses powerful drugs to kill cancer cells or stop them from growing. While chemotherapy isn’t as commonly used for CML as targeted therapy, it can still be an important part of treatment, especially if the leukemia becomes resistant to other treatments.
- Stem Cell Transplant: This procedure involves replacing the diseased bone marrow with healthy stem cells from a donor. A stem cell transplant is a complex procedure that carries risks, so it’s usually considered only when other treatments haven’t worked.
The lowdown on clinical trials
Clinical trials are research studies that test new treatments to see how well they work and whether they are safe for patients. For people with CML, clinical trials can offer access to cutting-edge
therapies that aren’t yet widely available. These trials are conducted by researchers and doctors who are working to improve the treatment and management of CML.
Participating in a clinical trial might give you the opportunity to try new medications, combinations of drugs, or different approaches to treatment that could be more effective than the current standard options. Clinical trials are especially important for patients whose CML has not responded well to existing treatments or who are in the more advanced phases of the disease, such as the accelerated or blast phases.
Before joining a clinical trial, it’s important to understand the potential risks and benefits. Clinical trials are conducted in phases, starting with Phase 1 trials that test the safety of a new treatment in a small group of people, and progressing to Phase 3 trials that compare the new treatment to the current standard treatment in a larger group of patients. By the time a treatment reaches a Phase 3 trial, it has already shown promise in earlier phases, but it’s still being evaluated for effectiveness and potential side effects.
Your doctor might suggest a clinical trial if they believe it could offer you the best chance for a successful outcome. However, participating in a trial is entirely voluntary, and you should feel comfortable asking questions and discussing any concerns you have with your healthcare team. Some questions to consider include:
- What is the goal of the clinical trial?
- What are the potential risks and benefits of participating?
- How will this trial affect my current treatment plan?
- What kind of follow-up care will I receive during and after the trial?
Clinical trials are carefully monitored and regulated to ensure the safety and well-being of participants. If you decide to join a clinical trial, you’ll be contributing to the advancement of medical knowledge and potentially helping to improve treatments for CML in the future.
For those interested in exploring clinical trials, platforms like MediFind or ClinicalTrials.gov or speaking with your hematologist-oncologist can help identify trials that might be a good fit for your specific condition and treatment needs.
Remember, knowing all your treatment options and being involved in the decision-making process can help you feel more confident and in control as you navigate your journey with CML.
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