Published on: 30 May 2017 Blood Cancer: Chronic Myelogenous Leukaemia What Is Cancer? The body is made up of cells that grow and die in a controlled way. Sometimes, cells keep dividing and growing without normal controls, causing an uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells. These cells have undergone malignant (progressively worsens and can result in death) change. This malignant growth of cells is called cancer. What Is Leukaemia? Leukaemia is the cancer of white blood cells. Bone marrow is the soft tissue inside most bones with stem cells that make the blood cells: White blood cells, which help the body fight infection; Red blood cells, which carry oxygen to all parts of the body; and, Platelets, which help the blood clot. In leukaemia, the bone marrow starts to make an excess of abnormal white blood cells that grow faster, live longer and cannot work like the normal white blood cells. Over time, these white blood cells crowd the bone marrow and affect all the normal blood cells leading to serious problems such as anaemia (red blood cells decrease in number), bleeding and infections. These cells can also spread to other organs (such as the spleen and Liver) and cause swelling or pain. What Are The Different Types Of Leukaemia? Leukaemia is classified by how fast it develops (acute or chronic) and which kind of white blood cells are increased (lymphocytic or myelogenous). Acute Leukaemia develops very fast and shows immediate symptoms. Chronic leukaemia develops slowly and may not cause symptoms for years. In Lymphocytic (or Lymphoblastic) leukaemia, white blood cells called lymphocytes and; in myelogenous leukaemia, white blood cells called myleocytes grow faster. The main types of leukaemia are as follows: Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) Acute myelogenous Leukaemia (AML) Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) Chronic myelogenous Leukaemia (CML) CML is a slow-growing Leukaemia in which bone marrow makes too many abnormal white blood cells called myleocytes.
CML affects people of all ages, although it is common among the middle-aged and the elderly. It is the commonest leukaemia among adults in India. What Are The Causes And Risk Factors Of Cml? Each cell contains 46 chromosomes made up of the DNA, which contains the genetic information in the genes. Mutation (permanent change in the DNA) in chromosome numbers 9 and 22 make a new kind of chromosome called the "Philadelphia chromosome", which contains a bcr-abl gene that causes abnormal growth of white blood cells. This is found in the leukaemia cells of almost all patients with CM Land is the cause of CML. The causes of this mutation are not fully understood. However, the risk factors (something that affects a person's chance of getting a disease) are as below: High-dose radiation exposure: Being exposed to high-dose radiation (such as nuclear reactor accident or working in industries where radiation exposure is possible) is the only known environmental risk factor for CML. Age and gender: The risk of getting CML increases with age.this disease is more common in males than females, but it's not known why. CML does not run in families. What Are The Signs And Symptoms Of Cml? CML may not cause any symptoms at all or they may be mild and general Symptoms may include the following: Weight Loss Feeling very tired
Night sweats Pain or a feeling of fullness below the ribs on the left side Fever
In later stages of CML, the symptoms may be more noticeable and may include the following: Frequent infections Looking pale and feeling tired or breathless Bleeding or bruising easily
Swellings in the neck, groin or armpits Small bumps on the skin Itching Bone or joint pain
If one has any of these symptoms. It s important to see a doctor. How Can Cml Be Detected? As CML may not have any symptoms or symptoms may be vague and non-specific, it is often discovered in blood tests done for an unrelated health problem or during a routine check-up. Some tests to confirm CML are: Blood cell counts and examination, blood chemistry tests, bone marrow aspiration (fluid bone marrow sample examination) and biopsy (viewing bone marrow sample under a microscope); genetic tests are done to look for bcr-abl gene and X-rays, MRI, CT scan etc can be done to check the extent of leukaemia spread in the body. The doctor will decide the tests that are necessary; all of them may not be done. How Is Cml Treated? One or more of these methods can be used to treat CML: Bone marrow/stem cell transplant, killing cancer cells with drugs (chemotherapy), radiation (radiotherapy) or removal of spleen (splenectomy). The doctor will decide the treatment depending on the stage of disease. For more Information, please consult the doctor. Rating: Your rating: None Useful video: 0 Source URL: https://ciplamed.com/content/blood-cancer-chronic-myelogenous-leukaemia