Alternative Treatment for Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia

Home

Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia, or CML, is one of the cancers involving more mature cells than in the acute type of leukemia, and accounts for approximately 25% of adult leukemia’s with an adult onset of around 40 years of age. While white blood cells are important for the immune system in individuals, Leukemia causes an abundance of dysfunctional and immature white blood cells in the circulation.
Currently, the standard treatment is provided with a drug called Imatinib (Gleevec), an oral treatment that works by inhibiting the spread of tumor cells and inducing cell death. One critical need to fight this disease is processes that will normalize blood counts in order to reduce the number of white blood cells that circulate in the blood. The effectiveness of Imatinib is sometimes unsuccessful however, and researchers have identified an alternative treatment that has been used in trials on these individuals with moderate success. The new research uses stem cell transplants after the existing bone marrow is destroyed. Healthy stem cells from a donor replace that which was removed, creating healthy cells that migrate into the bone and restore the patient’s ability to manufacture healthier, competent cells. Donors are selected on the same basis as those that would provide blood samples, and characteristics in the blood would have to match that of the recipient to ensure and positive match.

With continuing research, hope remains within grasp for millions that suffer from this disease. Education remains an important factor in the continuation of research and trial procedures in the medical communities.

< Prev		Next >

Through this website you are able to link to other websites which are not under the control of Smart Cells International. We have no control over the nature, content and availability of those sites. The inclusion of any links does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them.

Select country: