What is "chronic myelogenous leukemia" (CML)?

What is "chronic myelogenous leukemia" (CML)?

CML, Chronic Myelogenous Leukaemia is a type of leukaemia, but also what we call a myeloproliferative syndrome. It is a syndrome that doesn't necessarily need to be malignant or cancerous, but can be benign that is as a result of bone marrow making too many white blood cells. In CML, this chronic type of leukaemia, you make too many white blood cells; not one time, not two times, but every single white blood cell is made in great degrees and amounts. You end up having the extensive population of white blood cells that are normally in the bone marrow and normally supposed to be in the bone marrow, circulating in the peripheral blood. So, taking a blood smear or a blood sample from somebody with CML or Chronic Myelogenous Leukaemia looks very much like looking at someone's bone marrow. This particular disease has a specific genetic mutation called the Philadelphia Chromosome; the 922 translocation so chromosomes 9 and 22 have some problem with them leading to this translocation, and is referred to as the Philadelphia Chromosome. This particular chromosome has been studied by multiple pharmaceutical companies and labs and research departments across the entire world and successfully came up with a targeted therapy. Now, we have two targeted therapies directed specifically to this particular genetic mutation.