Before Treatment
It's important that your doctor is experienced in treating patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) or has access to a CML specialist. This type of specialist is called a hematologist oncologist.
Finding the Best Treatment Approach
The treatment your doctor recommends is based on several factors, including:
- the CML phase you're in
- your diagnostic test results
As you develop a treatment plan with your doctor, be sure to discuss:
- the results you can expect from treatment
- potential side effects, including late-term and long-term effects
- the possibility of participating in a clinical trial, where you'll have access to advanced medical treatment that may be more beneficial to you than standard treatment
Other Treatment Considerations
- If you're breastfeeding, pregnant or thinking about getting pregnant, oral drug therapy puts your baby at risk. You and your doctor must discuss how treatment will adversely affect your baby or pregnancy. If you choose to stop treatment while pregnant, you risk a relapse.
- If your cancer isn't controlled by treatment, you'll likely have to try a different treatment approach. See Refractory and Relapsed Leukemia.
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