CML Treatment by Stage

Unlike most other forms of cancer, there is no standard staging system for chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML); CML is classified by phase. So instead of breaking down options for CML treatment by stage, the following article discusses treatment of chronic myelogenous leukemia based on the phase of the cancer. There are four phases of CML: chronic, accelerated, blastic, and relapsed. It is important to know the CML phase in order to plan treatment.

CML
 

CML Treatment by Stage: An Overview

After doctors diagnose chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), they order tests to find out if the cancer has spread. For most types of cancer, the process that is used to determine how far the cancer has spread is referred to as staging. However, there is no standard staging system for chronic myelogenous leukemia. Instead, CML is classified by phases, which include:
 
  • Chronic phase
  • Accelerated phase
  • Blastic phase
  • Relapsed.
 
It is important to know the CML phase in order to plan treatment.
 
CML Treatment: Chronic Phase
Treatment of CML in the chronic phase of the disease may include:
 
  • High-dose chemotherapy with donor stem cell transplant
  • Biological therapy (interferon), with or without chemotherapy
  • Chemotherapy
  • Other drug therapy (Gleevec®)
  • Surgery (splenectomy).
 
CML Treatment in the Accelerated Phase
Treatment of CML in the accelerated phase of the cancer may include:
 
  • Stem cell transplant
  • High-dose chemotherapy
  • Chemotherapy
  • Other drug therapy (Gleevec)
  • Biological therapy (interferon), with or without chemotherapy
  • Transfusion therapy to replace red blood cells, platelets, and sometimes white blood cells, to relieve symptoms and improve quality of life.
(CML Treatment by Stage Continued: Page 2)
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Written by/reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD