Great question — these two can definitely cause confusion! While both are types of leukemia, they are quite different in several important ways.
CML (Chronic Myeloid Leukemia) develops from myeloid cells in the bone marrow and is caused by a specific chromosome mutation — where two chromosomes swap pieces, creating an Show Full Answer
Great question — these two can definitely cause confusion! While both are types of leukemia, they are quite different in several important ways.
CML (Chronic Myeloid Leukemia) develops from myeloid cells in the bone marrow and is caused by a specific chromosome mutation — where two chromosomes swap pieces, creating an abnormal gene that triggers too many white blood cells to be made.
CML has three phases:
- Chronic — slow progressing, can last years
- Accelerated — more immature white blood cells appear
- Blast — the most advanced phase CMML (Chronic Myelomonocytic Leukemia) develops specifically from monocytes, which are white blood cells that help fight infection. In CMML, the body produces too many immature, abnormal monocytes that crowd out healthy blood cells.
CMML has three subtypes based on the percentage of immature (blast) cells present:
- CMML-0 — less than 2% blasts in blood, less than 5% in bone marrow
- CMML-1 — 2–4% blasts in blood, 5–9% in bone marrow
- CMML-2 — 5–19% blasts in blood, 10–19% in bone marrow
The key differences between CML and CMML are:
- They develop from different cell types
- They are caused by different gene changes
- They require different treatments
It's always worth discussing your specific subtype with your doctor, as this shapes the treatment approach and outlook.
July 30
Join
Your Privacy Choices
