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Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML)

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Definition:

Chronic myelogenous leukemia is cancer of the bone marrow.

Alternative Names:

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

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 accounts for 7 - 20% cases of leukemia. It is usually associated with a chromosome abnormality called the Philadelphia chromosome.

CML causes rapid growth of the blood-forming cells (myeloid precursors) in the bone marrow, peripheral blood, and body tissues.

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, like thyroid cancer or Hodgkin's lymphoma. However, the vast majority of people treated for cancer with radiation do not go on to develop leukemia. It takes many years to develop leukemia from this cause.

• Review Date: 9/11/2006
• Reviewed By: Corey Cutler, MD, MPH, FRCP(C), Assistant Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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