Chronic Myeloid Leukemia

Chronic Myeloid Leukemia, also known as CML, is a kind of Blood Cancer. Cancer that affect the bone marrow, the blood cells, the lymph nodes and other parts of the lymphatic system are Leukemia, Lymphoma, Myeloma and Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS)

CML is a frequent blood cancer in middle age, especially in India. It effects the 9 and 22 number chromosomes in our body hence 22^nd Sept is the CML day as initiated by the patient community in 2008 and “International CML Awareness Day ”. September 22 (9/22) has marked World CML Day because of this symbolic significance. This is the first malignant tumor with a specific chromosomal abnormality uniquely linked to it. This chromosomal abnormality is so named when it was first discovered and described by two scientists in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1960: Peter Nowell of the University of Pennsylvania and David Hungerford of Temple University’s Fox Chase Cancer Center (Nowell PC).

There are presently over 8 Lakhs CML patients worldwide. CML is anticipated to become the most prevalent Leukemia by 2040. By then it is projected that CML patients would be over 3 million worldwide. Hence combined global effort is needed for a therapy or a cure to be successful.

Advances in therapy and care have changed CML into a disease in which patients can live a normal and extended life if properly treated. However, there are still significant obstacles to overcome for patients with CML, which also vary from region to region so that not all patients have equal access to best diagnosis, treatment, monitoring and care.

CML is mostly diagnosed in the chronic phase and most people remain in this phase without treatment for many years, but with effective treatment patients can survive for more than 20 years. If CML  progresses it always does not progress in a step-by-step way, instead moving straight from chronic to blast phase, skipping the accelerated phase.

PHASES OF CML

All people with CML, have chromosome 9 & 22 as abnormal which is known as the Philadelphia chromosome. A gene from chromosome 22, called BCR, and a gene from chromosome 9, called ABL, create the BCR-ABL gene.. It is a genetic change that happens to some people during their lifetime – not inherited or passed on to children. BCR-ABL is considered a cancer gene because it is present only in developing leukaemia cells which tells the body to produce an abnormal protein called tyrosine kinase, which instructs Leukaemia cells to grow and multiply.

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) are pills for treatment of CML patients that need to be taken orally intended for target therapy. It identifies and targets the specific type of cancer cells but at the same time inflicts much less harm to the regular cells. Recent scientific trials show that a few CML sufferers who’ve achieved stable deep positive molecular response can safely stop taking TKI pills without relapsing and those who are unsuccessful in their recovery process can safely re-set up remission after restarting their TKI therapy. Hence, the concept of treatment-free remission is currently being discussed thoroughly in the CML community. 

Every person certainly, without a doubt, is entitled to a decent existence. CML is not a death sentence anymore, it is something we can all overcome together. Healthcare practitioners, governments, pharmaceutical firms, relatives, and the entire society can make a significant difference in the lives of patients.

Providing solutions for Cancer diagnostics, DSS offers Vysis BCR-ABL Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization (FISH) probe and MLPA Hematologic malignancies probe mix for CML diagnosis. We also provide Dako Immunohistochemistry (IHC) antibodies as well as Real Time PCR assays for Leukemia Translocation Panel and BCR-ABL from Entrogen.