What are the signs and symptoms of chronic myelogenous leukemia?
Possible signs of chronic myelogenous leukemia include tiredness, night sweats, and fever. These and other symptoms may be caused by CML. Other conditions may cause the same symptoms. A doctor should be consulted if any of the following problems occur: • Feeling very tired. • Weight loss for no known reason. • Night sweats. • Fever. • Pain or a feeling of fullness below the ribs on the left side. Sometimes CML does not cause any symptoms at all. Most people with CML have a gene mutation (change) called the Philadelphia chromosome. Every cell in the body contains DNA (genetic material) that determines how the cell looks and acts. DNA is contained inside chromosomes. In CML, part of the DNA from one chromosome moves to another chromosome. This change is called the “Philadelphia chromosome.” It results in the bone marrow making an enzyme, called tyrosine kinase, that causes too many stem cells to develop into white blood cells (granulocytes or blasts). The Philadelphia chromosome is not p
