Leukemia Information
Realistic Optimism in Cancerville
by William Penzer, PhD
Not knowing what will happen brings out the frightened, confused, and overwhelmed parts of us in all life’s areas, and especially in Cancerville. The philosophy of realistic optimism seeks to offset our automatic pessimistic reactions. It strives to replace hopelessness with hopefulness, within realistic boundaries.
What Happens Once CML Treatment Begins?
To assess your response to treatment for chronic myelogenous leukemia, you will need to undergo blood and marrow tests before and during treatment. These tests include complete blood count (CBC), cytogenetic analysis, and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (QPCR). How often you will need these tests depends on the time since your treatment started and your previous test results. There are three different types of response to medications.
September is Leukemia, Lymphoma and Myeloma Awareness Month
Remarkable progress has been made in treating patients with blood cancers, with survival rates for many having doubled or tripled, and in some cases quadrupled since The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) was founded in 1949.
Living with CML
If you’ve been diagnosed with chronic myelogenous leukemia, you may need help with practical tasks, such as sorting through treatment information, managing side effects, and finding financial help for medical expenses. Your healthcare team, which can include your doctor, CML specialist, nurse, social worker, and others, can assist you in many of these areas. Here are some steps you can take to find the support you need.
What Is CML?
Chronic myelogenous leukemia (also called CML or chronic granulocytic leukemia) is a disease in which the bone marrow makes too many white blood cells. CML is a slowly progressing blood and bone marrow disease that usually occurs during or after middle age, and rarely occurs in children.
Understanding CML and Its Treatment
Chronic myelogenous leukemia, or CML, is one of four main types of leukemia. CML starts with a change to a single stem cell. Both children and adults can get CML, but most people with CML are adults. It is estimated that approximately 24,800 people in the United States are living with CML. Three new CML drugs have been approved since 2001. Other new treatments are being studied in clinical trials. Progress toward a cure is under way, and the number of people with CML who are living well today is growing.
Long-term Survival of Blood Cancer Transplant Patients Improves
A decade of refinements in marrow and stem cell transplantation to treat blood cancers significantly reduced the risk of treatment-related complications and death, according to an institutional self-analysis of transplant patient outcomes conducted at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.
What to Expect During a Blood and Marrow Stem Cell Transplant
A blood and marrow stem cell transplant has three parts: preparation, transplant, and recovery in the hospital.
