title: Chronic leukemia.
abstract: The chronic leukemias include chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). CML is a clonal myeloproliferative hematopoietic stem-cell disorder, and CLL is a monoclonal B-cell disorder. CML is Philadelphia chromosome positive. There are 3 phases of CML: the chronic phase, the accelerated phase, and the blast phase. The primary treatment of CML consists of tyrosine kinase inhibitors. CLL can present as indolent or fulminant disease. Early disease is managed with observation. Fulminant disease is currently treated with alkylating agents, purine analogues, and monoclonal antibodies, but new biotarged therapies are being developed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Leukemia, MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Boulevard, Houston, TX 77030, USA. Electronic address: emgreenb@mdanderson.org.
authors.forename: Edythe M Lyn
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Greenberg
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Probst
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015451:Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D015464:Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*
chemical_list: D007155:Immunologic Factors; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases
keywords: Alkylating agents; Chronic lymphocytic leukemia; Chronic myeloid leukemia; Immunomodulatory agents; Leukocytosis; Lymphocytosis; Monoclonal antibodies; Tyrosine kinase inhibitors