Chronic Myeloid Leukemia / Chronic Myelocytic Leukemia

Nomenclature: Chronic Myeloid Leukemia, Chronic Myelocytic Leukemia, Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia, CML, Chronic Granulocytic Leukemia

Chronic Myeloid Leukemia is one of the most common types of blood cancer. It is characterized by excess of WBC stem cells in the bone marrow

Leukemia is a type of cancer that affects the White Blood Cells of the blood and the bone marrow.

Chronic myeloid Leukemia or as popularly known in its abbreviated form - CML, is one of the most common types of leukemia.There are two forms of myeloid leukemia - chronic and acute. The term 'Chronic' refers to the CML being a slowly- evolving cancer that may take years to progress unlike the 'acute' variety which progresses in a quick manner. 'Myeloid' refers to the type of WBC that is produced in an uncontrolled manner.

CML is one of the four types of myeloproliferative diseases, that are associated with the overproduction of blood cells within the bone marrow. The other three myeloproliferative diseases are Agnogenic Myeloid Metaplasia (AMM), Polycythemia Rubra Vera (PRV), and Primary Thrombocythemia (PT)

Normally the bone marrow produces immature stem cells that grow and differentiate into the three blood cells type - the Red Blood Cells (RBC) , the White Blood Cells (WBC) and Platelets. These blood cells vary in their morphology and function.

The RBCs carry oxygen and other nutrients to the different body tissues; the WBCs fight off infections and diseases while the platelets are responsible for blood coagulation.