Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) often progresses with three phases of disease:
- Chronic phase
- Accelerated phase – transition between chronic phase and blast crisis.
- Blast crisis -phase of the disease in which there is a crisis occurrence of immature white blood cells (blasts; promyelocytes) in the blood;develops in two-thirds of affected individuals.
The following symptoms and complaints may indicate the chronic stable phase of CML:
Leading symptoms
- Leukocytosis – abnormal increase of white blood cells in the blood.
- Splenomegaly (enlargement of the spleen)
Associated symptoms
- Anemia (anemia)
- Night sweats (night sweats)
- Fatigue
- Weight loss
- Upper abdominal pain
- Reduced performance
- Feeling of fullness
The chronic phase is often an incidental finding during a routine examination.
The following symptoms and complaints may indicate the accelerated phase of CML:
- Increasing leukocytosis – abnormal increase of white blood cells in the blood.
- Increasing splenomegaly (enlargement of the spleen).
- Anemia (anemia)
- Thrombocytopenia – abnormal reduction of platelets.
- Fever
The following symptoms and complaints may indicate blast crisis of CML:
- Worsening of pre-existing symptoms.
- Bone pain
- Bleeding
- Infections
- Thromboses
