Chronic myeloid leukemia in Mexico

• April 19, 2024

According to Dr. Julio Kassack Ipiña, a hematologist at the General Hospital of Mexico, the myeloid leukemia (CML) is one of the most frequent types in the adult population, with an approximate prevalence in Mexico of 6 thousand patients and an incidence of one thousand new cases every year.

"This disease represents 2.8% of the forms of Cancer diagnosed in the world and 14% of leukemias. "However, many of the Mexican adults who suffer from it do not have access to state-of-the-art therapies.molecular white therapies ", Which raise patients' expectation and quality of life as they directly attack the malignant cells without harming the healthy ones. With this treatment, patients stop suffering the aggressive side effects caused by traditional treatments such as radiotherapy and chemotherapy. These new drugs allow patients to continue with their daily activities and, at the same time, enjoy a good state of health.

• What is chronic myeloid leukemia (CML)?

It is a malignant disease of blood and bone marrow of a progressive and slow nature that occurs in middle age, with a higher incidence between 35 and 55 years of age. In the words of the hematologist, the disease "results from a acquired chromosomal abnormality , originated by the exchange of genetic material between chromosome 9 and chromosome 22, called the Philadelphia chromosome, which translates into malignant transformation of stem cells of the blood. "The Philadelphia chromosome is responsible for the bone marrow producing an enzyme that causes the increase in the transformation of stem cells into white blood cells, as well as the growth of the spleen, which gives rise to chronic myeloid leukemia.

Symptoms of CML, detection and diagnosis

The Main symptoms are weakness , much fatigue, weight loss for no known reason, night sweats, fever and pain or feeling full under the ribs on the left side, growth of the spleen (on the left side of the abdomen), among other symptoms.

Medical specialists in hematology are the ones who can detect and diagnose CML; For this, a series of blood and bone marrow tests are performed. Experts say that in 40% of cases, the disease is diagnosed after unintentionally discovering an increase in white blood cells in the blood, performed systematically or during a checkup.

According to Dr. Kassack, the research of molecules for the development of new drugs arose from the fact that, until a few years ago, the only treatment against leukemia was the bone marrow transplant . Given the lack of capacity in infrastructure and bone marrow donors, drugs were developed that allow molecular control of this type of disease.