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Definition
By Mayo Clinic staffChronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) is an uncommon type of cancer of the blood cells. The term "chronic" in chronic myelogenous leukemia indicates that this cancer tends to progress more slowly than acute forms of leukemia. The term "myelogenous" in chronic myelogenous leukemia refers to the type of cells affected by this cancer.
Chronic myelogenous leukemia can also be called chronic myeloid leukemia and chronic granulocytic leukemia. Chronic myelogenous leukemia typically affects older adults and rarely occurs in children, though it can occur at any age.
About 4,800 people are diagnosed with chronic myelogenous leukemia each year, according to the National Cancer Institute.
- Chronic myelogenous leukemia. Fort Washington, Pa.: National Comprehensive Cancer Network. http://www.nccn.org/professionals/physician_gls/PDF/cml.pdf. Accessed Sept. 11, 2008.
- Chronic myelogenous leukemia treatment (PDQ) patient version. National Cancer Institute. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/treatment/CML/patient/allpages/patient. Accessed Sept. 11, 2008.
- Chronic myelogenous leukemia and related disorders: An overview. In: Lichtman MA, et al. Williams Hematology. 7th ed. New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill; 2006. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=2148618. Accessed Sept. 11, 2008.
- Leukemia - chronic myeloid - CML. Cancer.Net. http://www.cancer.net/patient/Cancer+Types/Leukemia+-+Chronic+Myeloid+-+CML. Accessed Sept. 17, 2008.
- Integrative medicine and complementary and alternative therapies as part of blood cancer care. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. http://www.leukemia-lymphoma.org/attachments/National/br_1150734030.pdf. Accessed Sept. 17, 2008.
- Questions about treatment. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. http://www.leukemia-lymphoma.org/graphics/National/Allquestionsworksheets/QuestionsabouttreatmentPS172R.pdf. Accessed Sept. 16, 2008.
- Kantarjian H, et al. Chronic myeloid leukemia. In: Abeloff MD, et al. Abeloff's Clinical Oncology. 4th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Churchill Livingstone; 2008:2279-2291.
- SEER stat fact sheets - chronic myeloid leukemia. Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results. http://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/cmyl.html. Accessed Sept. 19, 2008.
- Tasignia (prescribing information). East Hanover, N.J.: Novartis; 2007.
- Gleevec (prescribing information). East Hanover, N.J.: Novartis; 2007.
- Sprycel (prescribing information). Princeton, N.J.: Bristol-Myers Squibb; 2007.
