3. Bone Pain
Pain in the bones, specifically in the long bones of the arms and legs and hips, can be caused by CML.
CML can influence the bone marrow, which is the spongy tissue inside the bones responsible for producing blood cells. Abnormal cells produced by CML can collect in the bone marrow, causing bone pain.
2. Bruising And Bleeding
The ability to produce an adequate amount of platelets, which are cells responsible for assisting in blood clotting, can be impacted by CML.
This deficiency can cause bleeding and bruising, such as nosebleeds or bleeding gums. CML patients may be more susceptible to bruising than the average individual.
1. Frequent Infections
The number of healthy white blood cells, which are cells that aid in the body’s ability to combat infections, can be reduced by CML. This reduction can make it more difficult for the body to defend itself against infections, leading to an increased susceptibility to infections.
CML patients may be more prone to contracting infections such as pneumonia or urinary tract infections.
Treatments And Care
CML was previously thought to be a fatal diagnosis. However, medical advancements have considerably improved the prognosis and quality of life for CML patients.
Targeted therapy is one of the most effective treatments for CML, which involves targeting the specific proteins generated by cancerous cells. Drugs like imatinib, dasatinib, and nilotinib have shown great efficacy in treating CML and are often the first-line treatment. These drugs can help patients achieve long-term disease remission.
In some cases, bone marrow transplant is recommended for CML patients. It involves replacing the unhealthy bone marrow with healthy marrow from a donor. While it’s an effective treatment, it also carries high risks of complications and is usually reserved for advanced CML patients.
Here is a list of possible treatments and care available for CML.
8. Watchful Waiting
In the early stages of CML, doctors may recommend close monitoring of the patient’s condition through frequent blood tests and physical exams before initiating any immediate treatment.
Known as watchful waiting, this approach helps doctors determine the most appropriate course of action based on the progression of the disease. The decision to initiate treatment is usually based on the patient’s age, overall health, and the severity of the disease.
If the patient’s condition worsens or the disease progresses, then treatment will be started. The primary objective of watchful waiting is to minimize any potential side effects and to ensure that the patient receives the most effective treatment at the right time.
7. Chemotherapy
Cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy are administered drugs that specifically target cancerous cells, while also harming healthy cells in the body, resulting in a range of debilitating side effects.
Chemotherapy was once commonly used to treat CML, but it is now not frequently used due to the availability of more effective treatments. Additionally, chemotherapy is not always effective in destroying all cancer cells, leading to a higher chance of recurrence.
To combat these drawbacks, targeted therapies like Imatinib, which specifically target the genetic mutation that causes CML, have emerged as preferred treatment options for many CML patients.
This approach has proved to be highly effective, with minimal side effects, and has helped improve patient outcomes in the treatment of CML.
6. Radiation Therapy
Radiation therapy is a cancer treatment that involves using high-energy radiation to eliminate cancer cells.
While this approach is often used to treat solid tumors in the body, it is not the preferred method for CML. This is mainly due to the fact that radiation therapy can damage healthy cells in the body, resulting in severe side effects.
Additionally, CML cells are typically not localized to a single area, making it challenging to use radiation therapy effectively. In some cases, radiation therapy may be utilized for CML, such as when the disease has spread to the bone marrow or other parts of the body.
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