What is (are) Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia ?
Key Points
                    - Chronic myelogenous leukemia is a disease in which the bone marrow makes too many white blood cells.    - Leukemia may affect red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets.    - Signs and symptoms of chronic myelogenous leukemia include fever, night sweats, and tiredness.     - Most people with CML have a gene mutation (change) called the Philadelphia chromosome.    - Tests that examine the blood and bone marrow are used to detect (find) and diagnose chronic myelogenous leukemia.    - Certain factors affect prognosis (chance of recovery) and treatment options.
                
                
                    Chronic myelogenous leukemia is a disease in which the bone marrow makes too many white blood cells.
                    Chronic myelogenous leukemia (also called CML or chronic granulocytic leukemia) is a slowly progressing blood and bone marrow disease that usually occurs during or after middle age, and rarely occurs in children.
                
                
                    Leukemia may affect red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets.
                    Normally, the bone marrow makes blood stem cells (immature cells) that become mature blood cells over time. A blood stem cell may become a myeloid stem cell or a lymphoid stem cell. A lymphoid stem cell becomes a white blood cell.    A myeloid stem cell becomes one of three types of mature blood cells:         -  Red blood cells that carry oxygen and other substances to all tissues of the body.    -  Platelets that form blood clots to stop bleeding.    -  Granulocytes (white blood cells) that fight infection and disease.         In CML, too many blood stem cells become a type of white blood cell called granulocytes. These granulocytes are abnormal and do not become healthy white blood cells. They are also called leukemia cells. The leukemia cells can build up in the blood and bone marrow so there is less room for healthy white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets. When this happens, infection, anemia, or easy bleeding may occur.   This summary is about chronic myelogenous leukemia. See the following PDQ summaries for more information about leukemia:          -  Adult Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Treatment     -  Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Treatment     -  Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia Treatment     -  Childhood Acute Myeloid Leukemia/Other Myeloid Malignancies Treatment     -  Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Treatment     -  Hairy Cell Leukemia Treatment