CML is characterized by an accumulation of mature and immature myeloid cells in the blood, bone marrow, and spleen. CML is a progressive disease with 3 phases: 1) asymptomatic and easily controlled with a single drug 2) symptomatic and more difficult to control, and 3) "Blast Crisis", which heralds death in two to six months. - CML is caused by a translocation t(9;22) which results in the formation of a fusion gene whose product (bcr/abl) is a constitutively activated tyrosine kinase. New treatment is directed to inhibition of bcr/abl tyrosine kinase. - Genetic instability within the CML clone causes progression to blast transformation (the risk being ~ 25% each year).
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