Chronic myeloid leukemia

Making a diagnosis for a genetic or rare disease can often be challenging. Healthcare professionals typically look at a person’s medical history, symptoms, physical exam, and laboratory test results in order to make a diagnosis. The following resources provide information relating to diagnosis and testing for this condition. If you have questions about getting a diagnosis, you should contact a healthcare professional.

FDA-Approved Treatments

• Bosutinib (Brand name: Bosulif) - Manufactured by Pfizer Inc.
  FDA-approved indication: Treatment of adult patients with newly-diagnosed chronic phase Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic myelougenous leukemia. Also for treatment of adult patients with chronic, accelerated or blast phase Philadelphia chromosome-positive (Ph+) chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) with resistance, or intolerance to prior therapy.
  National Library of Medicine Drug Information Portal
  Medline Plus Health Information
• Imatinib mesylate (Brand name: Gleevec®) - Manufactured by Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp.
  FDA-approved indication: Treatment of chronic myelogenous leukemia
  National Library of Medicine Drug Information Portal
• Ponatinib (Brand name: Iclusig) - Manufactured by ARIAD Pharmaceuticals Inc.
  FDA-approved indication: Treatment of adult patients with chronic phase, accelerated phase, or blast phase chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) that is resistant or intolerant to prior tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy or Philadelphia chromosome positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (Ph+ALL) that is resistant or intolerant to prior tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy.
  National Library of Medicine Drug Information Portal
• Interferon alfa-2a (recombinant) (Brand name: Roferon®-A) - Manufactured by Hoffmann-La Roche, Inc.
  FDA-approved indication: Treatment of chronic myelogenous leukemia.
  National Library of Medicine Drug Information Portal
• Dasatinib (Brand name: Sprycel) - Manufactured by Bristol-Myers Squibb Company
  FDA-approved indication: Treatment of adults with Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia with resistance or intolerance to prior therapy. Also, treatment of pediatric patients with Philadelphia chromosome-positive (Ph+) chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) in chronic phase.
  National Library of Medicine Drug Information Portal
  Medline Plus Health Information
• Omacetaxine mepesuccinate (Brand name: Synribo) - Manufactured by Teva Pharmaceuticals
  FDA-approved indication: Treatment of chronic myelogenous leukemia
  National Library of Medicine Drug Information Portal
• Nilotinib (Brand name: Tasigna) - Manufactured by Novartis Pharmaceutical Corporation
  FDA-approved indication: March 2018 approved for the treatment of pediatric patients greater than or equal to 1 year of age with newly diagnosed Philadelphia chromosome positive chronic myeloid leukemia (Ph+ CML) in chronic phase and pediatric patients greater than or equal to 1 year of age with chronic phase Philadelphia chromosome positive chronic myeloid leukemia (Ph+ CML) with resistance or intolerance to prior tyrosine-kinase inhibitor (TKI) therapy. October 2014 approved for treatment of chronic phase (CP) and accelerated phase (AP) Philadelphia chromosome positive chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) in adult patients resistant to or intolerant to prior therapy that included Gleevec(imatinib)
  National Library of Medicine Drug Information Portal
  Medline Plus Health Information

If you need medical advice, you can look for doctors or other healthcare professionals who have experience with this disease. You may find these specialists through advocacy organizations, clinical trials, or articles published in medical journals. You may also want to contact a university or tertiary medical center in your area, because these centers tend to see more complex cases and have the latest technology and treatments.

If you can’t find a specialist in your local area, try contacting national or international specialists. They may be able to refer you to someone they know through conferences or research efforts. Some specialists may be willing to consult with you or your local doctors over the phone or by email if you can't travel to them for care.

You can find more tips in our guide, How to Find a Disease Specialist. We also encourage you to explore the rest of this page to find resources that can help you find specialists.

Research helps us better understand diseases and can lead to advances in diagnosis and treatment. This section provides resources to help you learn about medical research and ways to get involved.

Support and advocacy groups can help you connect with other patients and families, and they can provide valuable services. Many develop patient-centered information and are the driving force behind research for better treatments and possible cures. They can direct you to research, resources, and services. Many organizations also have experts who serve as medical advisors or provide lists of doctors/clinics. Visit the group’s website or contact them to learn about the services they offer. Inclusion on this list is not an endorsement by GARD.

Living with a genetic or rare disease can impact the daily lives of patients and families. These resources can help families navigate various aspects of living with a rare disease.

These resources provide more information about this condition or associated symptoms. The in-depth resources contain medical and scientific language that may be hard to understand. You may want to review these resources with a medical professional.