Survival Rates for Chronic Myeloid Leukemia
CML is a type of cancer that develops in a person’s bone marrow. This cancer develops very slowly within the blood-forming cells inside the bone marrow and can spread aggressively through the bloodstream. People living with CML might not notice any symptoms or warning signs before the cancer spreads and progresses to the advanced stage. Chronic myeloid leukemia is generally caused by an abnormal gene that produces too much of the enzyme named tyrosine kinase.
CML phases
CML has three stages:
- Chronic
During the initial CML phases, cancerous cells grow very slowly. People are diagnosed when they reach the chronic phase after performing blood tests prescribed by their healthcare professional for some other health reasons. Treatments during the chronic phase include taking tyrosine kinase inhibitors and oral medications that prevent cancer cells from multiplying and growing further.
- Accelerated
In the accelerated CML phase, cancer causes cells to grow, multiply, and develop quickly.
- Blastic
Blastic is the third phase of CML, when abnormal cancerous cells grow out of control and start crowding healthy normal cells. A person in the accelerated or blastic phase usually does not respond to this, so they must undergo bone marrow or stem cell transplantation.
Outlook Of CML
Outlook for CML, like any other disease, depends on varieties of factors, such as the following
- The overall health condition of the patient
- Their age
- The extent of bone damage caused by leukemia cells
- Whether the spleen has become enlarged
- Platelet counts
Survival rates for cancerous diseases are generally measured at five-year intervals. As per data given by the National Cancer Institute, around 65.1% of people living with CML stay alive five years after getting diagnosed. With advancements in medical science and the introduction of highly effective medicines such as Dyronib 50 mg Tablet for combating CML, the survival rates are becoming higher, and people are getting tested and starting their treatment procedures at a much early stage.
Survival rates of CML by phase
The majority of people diagnosed with CML are in the chronic phase. Only in a few cases do people who’ve failed to receive effective treatment or, in some cases, people who do not respond properly to treatment procedures slowly advance to the accelerated stage or blastic stage. The outlook for CML-affected individuals living in the chronic phase and receiving TKIs is optimistic compared to those in the accelerated or blastic phase. With effective medication such as Dyronib 50 mg and following a healthy diet and lifestyle, the survival rate for CML-diagnosed patients is 83%.
A study conducted in 2018 shows that around 90% of people taking imatinib lived healthy lives for a minimum of five years. The overall prognosis and survival rates of people living with CML are higher if they take highly effective and new medicines like Dasatinib. Survival rates in the accelerated phase vary widely depending on the treatment procedure. If a patient responds to TKIs, then survival rates are fairly good. People in the accelerated phase have a 75% chance of survival after eight years of getting a diagnosis. The overall prognosis and survival rates for people in the plastic phase are less than 20%.
Conclusion
Chronic myeloid leukemia is a slow-growing or chronic bone marrow and blood cancer. People receiving a diagnosis at the chronic phase has the best survival rate and outcome. Different treatment options are available today because of the advancement of medical science to treat the disease and help a person get a healthier, longer life span. The sooner a person receives medical treatment for CML, the better the outcome will be.