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Chemotherapy and Drug Therapy

Chemotherapy is generally used only in patients with blast-phase CML as a way to get the CML back into chronic phase. Very high-dose chemotherapy is used to prepares patients for an allogeneic stem cell transplantation.

Chemotherapy and CML 

Omacetaxine mepesuccinate (Synribo®), a protein synthesis inhibitor, can be used to treat patients with all mutations (including the T315I mutation) that are resistant to TKIs. In general, omacetaxine use is limited to patients who have exhausted all TKI options and who are not candidates for an allogeneic transplant.

Omacetaxine is given as a liquid that is injected under the skin. The most common side effects include

  • Low red blood cell, white blood cell and platelet counts
  • Diarrhea
  • Nausea
  • Fatigue
  • Fever
  • Infection
  • Reaction at the injection site

For information about the drug listed on this page, visit Drug Listings.


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