anybody who knows cases with chronic leukemia? Is this curable? Any idea with the life span?

Answer 1

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (or "chronic lymphoid leukemia"), known for short as CLL, is a type of leukemia in which too many lymphocytes are produced. Although the malignant lymphocytes in CLL may look normal and mature, they are not and these cells may not cope effectively with infection.

CLL is the most common form of leukemia in adults. Men are twice as likely to develop CLL as women. However, the key risk factor is age. Over 75% of new cases are diagnosed in patients over age 50. More than 7,000 new cases of CLL are diagnosed in the U.S. each year.

Whilst generally considered incurable CLL progresses slowly in most cases. Many people with CLL lead normal and active lives for many years - in some cases for decades. Because of its slow onset, early-stage CLL is generally not treated since it is believed that early CLL intervention does not improve survival time or quality of life. Instead, the condition is monitored over time.

Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) is a form of chronic leukemia characterized by increased and unregulated clonal production of predominantly myeloid cells in the bone marrow. CML is a myeloproliferative disease associated with a characteristic chromosomal translocation called the Philadelphia chromosome. Historically, it has been treated with chemotherapy, interferon and bone marrow transplantation, although targeted therapies introduced at the beginning of the 21st century have radically changed the management of CML.

Chronic phase

Chronic phase CML is treated with imatinib mesylate (marketed as Gleevec® or Glivec®; previously known as STI-571). In the past, antimetabolites (e.g. cytarabine, hydroxyurea), alkylating agents, interferon alfa 2b, and steroids were used, but this has been replaced by imatinib. Imatinib is a new agent, approved by the US FDA in 2001, which specifically targets BCR/abl, the constitutively activated tyrosine kinase fusion protein caused by the Philadelphia chromosome translocation that is felt to be responsible for driving the abnormal cell proliferation of CML. It is better tolerated and more effective than previous therapies. Bone marrow transplantation was also used as initial treatment for CML in younger patients before the advent of imatinib, and while it can often be curative, there is a high rate of transplant-related mortality.

Another new drug, dasatinib (marketed as Sprycel®; previously known as BMS-354825), which has a similar mechanism of action to imatinib but inhibiting a broader spectrum of tyrosine kinases, was approved by the U.S. FDA in June 2006 for use in patients with CML who are no longer responding to, or who can no longer tolerate, therapy with imatinib. [1] Pre-clinical research indicates that the anti-leukemic effect of dasatinib may be further enhanced by the addition of a small molecular inhibitor known as PD184352 [2]

Various combinations of the different treatment modalities are being explored.

In 2005 favourable results of vaccination were reported with the BCR/abl p210 fusion protein in patients with stable disease, with GM-CSF as an adjuvant.[8]

Two other drugs, ceflatonin (homoharringtonine) and nilotinib (AMN 107) are currently in active clinical trials in patients with CML who have developed resistance to imatinib. [3].

[edit] Blast crisis

Blast crisis carries all the symptoms and characteristics of either acute myelogenous leukemia or acute lymphoblastic leukemia, and has a very high mortality rate. This stage can most effectively be treated by a bone marrow transplant after high-dose chemotherapy. In young patients in the accelerated phase, a transplant may also be an option. However the likelihood of relapse after a bone marrow transplant is higher in patients in blast crisis or in the accelerated phase as compared to patients in the chronic phase.

Answer 2

Chronic leukemia is sometimes misdiagnosed and is some other type of cancer. if you are for sure that is what you have then your doctor can give you more accurate information on curability or somewhat life span.
Today many ppl live long with treatment even if not cureable.
That in itself a great. Remember nobody gets out of life a live. We just have to hope for a good quality of life and live everyday and enjoy ourselves..

Answer 3

There is no cure for Chronic leukemia. Life span is on average at about 4 years.

Answer 4

I know someone who was treated by acupuncture and it helped. And my friends neighbour ate (i dont know the exact name in English) "black radish" every day and he was completely cured in half a year. He refused chemotherapy.This vegetable contains incredible amount of various antioxidants and other stuff. He did not have leukemia, i think it was some other type of cancer, but i think it could help. Also my mother told me she heard about cases when it worked.
Id would be a good idea to consider alternative therapies as well if modern medicine cant help. I know people who profited from it and ive seen a serious TV documentary about "incurable" diseases that were cured by traditional medicine.
Good luck! I will pray for you

Answer 5

Leukemia is a form of cancer. The modifier 'chronic' only represents the continuous presence of the disease/condition/permanence of the affliction.

As with any cancer or immune deficiancy...it is not currently curable. Leukemia is a particularly destructive disease, and usually ends lives fairly quickly. 2-3 years after 4th stage onset of the disease, depending on the immunity of the subject.

Answer 6

Depends on many factors including age, phase and, genetic profile.

In general, chronic leukemias are difficult to cure. It sounds counter-intuitive but, since chronic leukemias divide slowly, they are harder to cure. This is because most tradition cancer therapy is with chemotherapy which kills actively dividing cells.

Newer targeted therapies, which bind to the proteins produced by cancer genes, have produced remarkable results with very mild side effects (mainly skin rash). These drugs include Imatinib (Gleevec), Dasatinib (Sprycel) and, Nioltinib (Tasigna). Many patients on these drugs have achieved indefinite remissions for people with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). However, in leukemia these drugs are only used for Philadelphia chrosome (translocation of chromosomes 9 and 22) positive (Ph+) leukemias because they target they oncoprotein produced.

Answer 7

A young boy who used to live near me had leukemia and they treated and cured him. So there has been progress in the treatment of this old malady. I don't know how much luck they have in adults with this but I think getting started on the treatment as soon as possible is one of the things that counts a lot towards cure or recovery. btw that boy is 30 years old now and when I saw him first, he was seven years old and his treatment was already working.

Answer 8

Long term blood cancer, curable only with a bone marrow transfusion, but chances of recurrances are reported.

Life span can vary depending on which stage the cancer the person is in. so can be 3 months - 15 years. *this is just an estimate.

Answer 9

I don't wish to alarm you here, but I will answer your question honestly.. I had a mate who was diagnosed with leukaemia and within about 3 mths he was walking in the land of the spirit's .. He had not reached his 38th birthday.. He had bone marrow transplant from his brother which he rejected..Now my mate was a fit and healthy sort of bloke and he obviously didn't know he was crook , then he felt a bit of fatigue and had to see a doctor ... Had some tests and was admitted to hospital all within a week and he never came home ... The rest is history ... Blessed Be

Answer 10

Sorry in most cases no it is not. It can be delayed some and even long enough to finish a rather long life but eventually the answer is no it can't be cured.