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ASKTalk with your doctor about the best plan for you. Treatment options include:
Three drugs work to inhibit the molecule that triggers the development of leukemia and the gene that is associated with it. This medication is often used in early stages of CML. It has replaced chemotherapy and biologic therapy as a treatment of choice. The drugs for this therapy are:
Chemotherapy is the use of drugs to kill cancer cells. It may be given in many forms. This includes by pill, injection, and via a catheter. The drugs enter the bloodstream and travel through the body. While this will focus on cancer cells, some healthy cells are also killed.
This is the use of medications or substances made by the body. The substance is used to increase or restore the body's natural defenses against cancer. This type of therapy is also called biological response modifier therapy. It is still being tested in clinical trials.
High doses of chemotherapy are followed by a transplantation of stem cells (immature blood cells). These will replace blood-forming cells destroyed by cancer treatment. Stem cells are removed from the blood or bone marrow of the patient or donor. They are then infused into the patient.
Lymphocytes are a type of white blood cell. A donor’s cells are infused into the patient. The cancer cells do not recognize these cells. They do not attack them.
A splenectomy is a surgery to remove the spleen. It may be done if the spleen has become enlarged from the leukemia. It may also be done if other complications develop.
Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Copyright © 2013 EBSCO Publishing All rights reserved.
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