Chronic myeloid leukemia is a malignancy that affects the blood and bone marrow. It is characterized by the production of large numbers of immature leukocytes that accumulate in the bone marrow and inhibit normal blood production in the bone marrow; and can spread throughout the body through the blood, causing the patient to develop anemia, easy bleeding, infection and organ infiltration.
Which leukemia subtype do I belong to?
Chronic myeloid leukemia progresses slowly and is divided into three phases depending on the number of leukemia cells in the bone marrow and the severity of symptoms: chronic, accelerated and acute. Of these, approximately 90% of patients are in the chronic phase at the time of diagnosis, and approximately 3% to 4% of the chronic phase progresses to the acute phase each year.
Its incidence?
Chronic myeloid leukemia is a relatively rare malignancy, accounting for approximately 0.3% of all cancers and 20% of adult leukemias; it affects approximately 1 to 2 people per 100,000 in the general population.
Who can have this disease?
Chronic myeloid leukemia can occur in people of any age, but it is most common in people over 50 years of age, with an average age of onset of 65 years, and is more common in men than women.
What causes it?
The cause of chronic myeloid leukemia is still unknown, but the Philadelphia chromosome is thought to be closely associated with the disease, occurring in approximately 90 to 95 percent of patients.
What are its symptoms?
Because chronic myeloid leukemia progresses slowly, many patients are asymptomatic, especially in the early stages. As the disease progresses, the leukemia disrupts the normal hematopoietic function of the bone marrow and infiltrates organs, causing significant but non-specific symptoms. Included are.
1. anemia, manifested as weakness, dizziness, pallor or shortness of breath after activity
2. recurrent infections and not easily cured, mainly due to the lack of normal white blood cells, especially neutrophils.
3. bleeding tendency: easy bleeding, bleeding more than once, gum bleeding, stool bleeding and irregular menstrual bleeding, due to thrombocytopenia
4. splenomegaly, unexplained emaciation and night sweats, etc.
Peripheral blood basal granulocytosis
Peripheral blood and bone marrow primitive cells <5%, and a large number of middle and late juvenile granulocytes can be seen
Accelerated phase peripheral blood and bone marrow primitive cells 10C19% peripheral blood basal granulocytes ≥20% persistent thrombocytopenia appear cytogenetic acute change in the evolution of leukemic cell clones phase peripheral blood and bone marrow primitive cells ≥20% extramedullary primitive cell invasion
How is it treated?
Treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia depends on the stage of the disease, age and health status, etc.
1. Chronic stage: Treatment is aimed at controlling disease progression and maintaining blood cells in the normal range, and may include the use of hydroxyurea, interferon, or griseofulvin. Certain young patients may consider stem cell transplantation for a chance of cure.
2. Accelerated and acute phase: Accelerated disease progression requiring more intense regimens and treatment aimed at removing leukemia cells and restoring bone marrow hematopoietic function or returning to the chronic phase.
In some patients, a large number of leukocytes appear in the peripheral blood at the time of diagnosis, causing increased circulatory resistance and vascular blockage, resulting in bleeding or hypercoagulability, etc. Leukapheresis or chemotherapy is required to reduce the number of leukemic cells. Large amounts of fluid are also needed to remove toxic substances released by cell necrosis.
What is the efficacy of treatment?
1. Chronic phase: average survival time of 4 to 5 years.
2. accelerated phase: an average survival time of 1 to 2 years
3.Acute phase: the average survival time is 3 to 6 months.