How is chronic myelogenous leukemia treated?
How is chronic myelogenous leukemia treated?
Targeted drug therapy is usually the first line of treatment against chronic myelogenous leukemia. This approach targets the cells that contain the abnormal BCR-ABL gene. Drugs used in this type of therapy are called tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) and they include Dasatinib (Sprycel), Imatinib (Gleevec), Ponatinib (Iclusig), Bosutinib (Bosulif) and Nilotinib (Tasigna). The goal of TKIs is to achieve a long-term remission of the cancer.
Some people with chronic myelogenous leukemia may need other treatments, such as:
- Chemotherapy. During this treatment, anti-cancer drugs are taken in pill form or given through a vein. Sometimes chemotherapy is combined with targeted drug therapy. It may also be recommended if TKIs stop working as well.
- Interferon therapy. Interferons are substances created naturally by your immune system. Interferon therapy uses a synthetic drug (interferon alpha) which mimics the natural interferons found in your body. This helps reduce the growth of leukemia cells. Before tyrosine kinase inhibitors, interferon therapy was the best treatment available for CML.
- Stem cell transplant. Because TKIs are the most effective treatment against CML, stem cell transplants are performed far less often these days. However, your provider may recommend a stem cell transplant if you’re not responding well to TKIs.
- Radiation therapy. This approach isn’t usually recommended for people with CML, but it may be beneficial in certain situations. For example, individuals who undergo a stem cell transplant may receive radiation therapy beforehand to prepare their body for the procedure.
- Though surgery isn’t an option for directly treating CML, a splenectomy may be necessary if the leukemia spreads to the spleen. When leukemia affects the spleen, it can become so enlarged that it puts excess pressure on nearby organs. It’s important to note, however, that surgery has no role in treating chronic myelogenous leukemia.