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Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia

Chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) is a slowly developing cancer of white blood cells that begins in blood stem cells within the bone marrow. It often causes no symptoms early on and may be found by chance on a routine blood test.

Hydrea

Hydroxycarbamide

500mg

Hydroxycarbamide tablets for chronic myeloid leukaemia and certain head and neck cancers. It works by stopping cancer cells from dividing.

From$2.12/ tabletView

Gleevec

Imatinib

400mg

Imatinib tablets for chronic myeloid leukaemia and stomach tumours. It disables the abnormal protein that fuels the growth of leukaemia cells.

From$10.63/ tabletView

Sprycel

Dasatinib

50mg

Dasatinib tablets for chronic myeloid and acute lymphocytic leukaemia. It blocks proteins that drive leukaemia cell growth.

From$129.00/ bottleView

Key points

  • More than 95 percent of people with CML carry the Philadelphia chromosome, a genetic change that produces an abnormal protein driving disordered white blood cell growth.
  • CML progresses through three phases: chronic, accelerated, and blast, and most people are diagnosed while still in the chronic phase.
  • For most people, CML can be well controlled for as long as treatment continues, and most people with CML have a normal life expectancy.

Medicines listed for Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia

The listed products for chronic myeloid leukaemia span two broad medicine classes. Imatinib and dasatinib are tyrosine kinase inhibitors, a group that targets the abnormal protein produced by the Philadelphia chromosome. Hydroxycarbamide is a cytostatic agent that reduces the number of abnormal white blood cells in the blood and bone marrow. Gleevec and Hydrea are supplied as tablets; Sprycel comes in a bottle.

Further reading