What is the best treatment for Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia?

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Chronic myeloid leukaemia is a type of blood cancer which affects the white blood cells. Chronic myeloid leukaemia specifically increases the count of the myelogenous cells which leads to various complications and symptoms. Chronic myeloid leukaemia is a chronic disease which means that it progresses for a long duration compared to other types of leukaemia. The disease is a rare type of cancer which is seen more commonly in adults and older individuals and rarely in children.

What are the symptoms of Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia?

Patients who have chronic myeloid leukaemia may not be diagnosed with it for a long time as they may not present any symptoms in the initial stages. 

Some of the symptoms that are seen in these patients are:

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•          Fever
•          Unexplained weight loss
•          Night Sweats
•          Easily bleeds and bruises
•          Fatigue and tiredness
•          Pale skin
•          Tenderness and swelling of the spleen

Unlike chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, the patient responds to treatment better if the treatment is started in the early stages. So, if you are experiencing any or all these symptoms, make an appointment with the doctor for further diagnosis.

When is the best phase for treatment of Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia?

Chronic myeloid leukaemia is seen in various stages which are progressive. There are three stages and earlier the treatment, better are the results.

·    Phase 1: Chronic Phase- This is the initial phase and the condition is mostly asymptomatic during this phase. The patient best response to treatment in this phase.

·   Phase 2: Accelerated Phase- In this phase, the condition becomes more progressive and it transitions into a more aggressive stage.

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    Phase 3: Blastic Stage- In this stage, the condition reaches a severe stage and is very aggressive.

What are the treatment options for Chronic Myeloid leukaemia?

chronic myeloid leukaemia shows symptoms only in the later stages. It is very common for the patient to not experience any symptoms for a month or even years after developing chronic myeloid leukaemia. Once there are some symptoms and the patient undergoes a complete blood picture, one can diagnose the condition and begin with the treatment.

There are many treatment modalities that are available for chronic myeloid leukaemia. They may be used individually or in combination. 

Some of the most preferred treatment modalities available are:

·  Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy involves the use of drugs which are capable of destroying the cancerous cells. these drugs work by affecting the cell cycle and thereby hindering the formation of new cells in abundance. But, along with cancerous cells, chemotherapeutic drugs also destroy the normal dividing cells of the body. This factor leads to several side effects and complications like nausea, vomiting, weight loss, rapid hair-fall etc.

·  Stem cell Therapy: This is a recent advancement in the medical field where the stem cells are collected and stored after which intense chemotherapy is given so that all the cancer cells are destroyed. The collected stem cells are then transplanted back to the patient and they multiply and replace the old bone marrow cells. These new stem cells produce healthy and normal blood cells which are not cancerous. There are many risks involved in this procedure. The patient must weigh the pros and cons before selecting the mode of treatment.

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   Target Therapy: This procedure is similar to chemotherapy. The only difference is that the drugs are more specific to the cancer cells. They focus on a certain aspect of cancerous cells and this reduces the impact on other cells.

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  Immune Therapy: The body’s immune system is additionally helped by this therapy so that they destroy the cancerous cells. Synthetic immune supplements like interferon are given in this treatment.

The patient must inquire carefully about each procedure and understand the risks that come along with it. The most compatible treatment or combination of treatments are selected based on many factors like age, stage of cancer, type and health of the partner.

Also Read: Is Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia treatable?

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