Pediatric Chronic Myeloid Leukemia - Symptoms & Treatment
Overview
CML is a rare form of cancer that occurs in children. CML affects the blood cells and bone marrow – part inside the bones where blood cells are made With treatment, most people go into “remission” which means that the cancer is not completely gone, but is less active than before.
Risk Factors
There are no known risk factors for CML. However, genetic mutation may be one of the associated factors.
Signs and Symptoms
Symptoms depend on the phase of the disease.For example, CML has three phases: chronic, accelerated, and blast.
- Chronic phase –
- Accelerated phase –
Diagnosis
- Bone marrow aspiration and bone marrow biopsy – The doctor uses a needle to take a sample of marrow and blood from the hip bone. The sample is then evaluated under a microscope for signs of leukemia.
Treatment
Targeted Therapy
Targeted therapy is the primary treatment for CML. Targeted therapy drugs are usually very good at controlling CML often for long periods of time and with less severe side effects than chemotherapy drugs.
FAQ
- How is Paediatric CML treated?
- Can children get chronic myeloid leukemia?
- Does CML develop slowly?
