Χρόνια Μυελογενής λευχαιμία (ΧΜΛ)

• Main Authors: Λουκόπουλος, Δημήτρης, Loukopoulos, Dimitris
• Format: 7
• Language: Greek
• Published: 2016

Chronic myelogenous leukemia denotes the abnormal and uncontrolled proliferation of the myeloid precursors, in most cases with a varying degree of inhibition of their differentiation. The myeloid hyperplasia causes symptoms of hypermetabolism, which “consume” the patient, and usually progresses in three distinct phases : a chronic, an accelerated and the blastic transformation. Main findings are the splenic enlargement and the high number of white cells. Main diagnostic finding is the identification of the chromosome “Philadelphia” (Ph)_a hybrid chromosome formed by the translocation of a segment of chromosome 9 (carrying the oncogene ABL1) in various parts of the BCR sequences (chromosome 22), which results in the formation of a shorter chromosome 22 carrying a novel gene coding for the hybrid protein BCR-ABL1. This protein functions as a tyrosine kinase with super-increased activity and is considered as the pathogenetic mechanism of CML. The large scale use of the respective inhibitors has been a breakthrough in modern therapeutics and has greatly improved the prognosis of CML.