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Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) - Overview

Alternative Names

CML; Chronic granulocytic leukemia; Leukemia - chronic granulocytic (CML)

Definition of Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML):

Chronic myelogenous leukemia is cancer that starts inside bone marrow, the soft tissue inside bones that helps form blood cells. The cancer grows from cells that produce white blood cells.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

CML can occur in adults (usually middle-aged) and children. The disease affects 1 to 2 people per 100,000 and makes up 7 - 20% cases of leukemia. It is usually associated with a chromosome abnormality called the Philadelphia chromosome.

Exposure to ionizing radiation is one possible trigger for this chromosome abnormality. Such exposure could occur from a nuclear disaster or from treatment of a previous cancer such as thyroid cancer or Hodgkin's lymphoma. It takes many years to develop leukemia from this cause. However, most people treated for cancer with radiation do not go on to develop leukemia, and most patients with CML have not been exposed to radiation.

Bone marrow aspiration

Auer rods

Chronic myelocytic leukemia - microscopic view

Chronic myelocytic leukemia

Antibodies

Reviewed last on: 2/12/2009
David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; Yi-Bin Chen, MD, Leukemia/Bone Marrow Transplant Program, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

Kantarjian H, O'Brien S. The chronic leukemias. In: Goldman L, Ausiello D, eds. Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007: chap 195.

National Comprehensive Cancer Network Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology: Chronic myelogenous leukemia. National Comprehensive Cancer Network; 2009. Version 2.2009.

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