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)