Is lifelong medication required for chronic myeloid leukemia?
Disease description:
Recently, I have been experiencing frequent nosebleeds, and for the past two to three days, my gums have also started bleeding. I would like to ask, does chronic myeloid leukemia require lifelong medication?
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Liu Feng
Whether patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) require lifelong medication should be determined based on the individual patient's condition and the physician's recommendations. On one hand, CML patients whose condition has been controlled to the stable phase may gradually discontinue medication in combination with targeted therapy and do not necessarily require lifelong drug treatment. This is because CML is a hematologic disorder that can be managed through targeted drugs, interferon therapy, or hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. On the other hand, patients with chronic myeloid leukemia typically do require lifelong medication. This is primarily due to the fact that CML is caused by the abnormal Philadelphia chromosome, which leads to the continuous activation of the BCR-ABL fusion gene. Targeted medications can block the function of the BCR-ABL fusion protein. Therefore, lifelong drug administration is necessary for patients to control their disease. Throughout the treatment process, patients should regularly monitor disease progression and hematologic parameters and follow the physician's advice regarding medication and therapy.
