Phases of Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia
Unlike most cancers, chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) is classified into phases rather than stages, based partly on the percentage of immature white blood cells (blasts) in peripheral blood and bone marrow. A complete blood count with differential, peripheral blood smear, and bone marrow analysis are used to determine the phase. The 3 phases of CML, as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO), [1, 2] are listed below.
Table. Phases of Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (Open Table in a new window)
CML phase |
WHO definition |
Chronic stable phase |
Blasts < 10% in peripheral blood and bone marrow |
Accelerated phase |
|
Blast crisis |
|
In addition, the prognosis for patients with CML can be calculated by using risk scores. See the Sokal Score for CML and Calculation of Relative Risk of CML Patients.
See also Chronic Leukemias: 4 Cancers to Differentiate, a Critical Images slideshow, to help detect chronic leukemias and determine the specific type present.