From the Guidelines
Leukemia is a cancer of the blood and bone marrow that comes in four main types: Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL), Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML), Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL), and Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML). The acute forms progress rapidly and require immediate treatment, while chronic forms develop more slowly.
Types of Leukemia
- ALL primarily affects children and young adults, involving abnormal lymphoid cells 1.
- AML affects both children and adults, with abnormal myeloid cells crowding the bone marrow 1.
- CLL is the most common adult leukemia, affecting older adults and progressing slowly.
- CML is characterized by a genetic abnormality called the Philadelphia chromosome and typically affects adults. Treatment approaches vary by type but may include chemotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, stem cell transplantation, and radiation therapy.
Diagnosis and Symptoms
Early symptoms often include fatigue, frequent infections, easy bruising, and unexplained weight loss. Diagnosis requires blood tests and bone marrow examination to determine the specific type, which is crucial for selecting the appropriate treatment strategy 1. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) classification, myeloid neoplasms and acute leukemia can be further subclassified into several categories, including myeloproliferative neoplasms, myelodysplastic/myeloproliferative neoplasms, myelodysplastic syndromes, and acute myeloid leukemia with recurrent genetic abnormalities 1. It is essential to note that the classification and diagnosis of leukemia are constantly evolving, and the most recent guidelines and classifications should be consulted for accurate diagnosis and treatment.
From the FDA Drug Label
Imatinib mesylate is a kinase inhibitor indicated for the treatment of: Newly diagnosed adult and pediatric patients with Philadelphia chromosome positive chronic myeloid leukemia (Ph+ CML) in chronic phase. Patients with Philadelphia chromosome positive chronic myeloid leukemia (Ph+ CML) in blast crisis (BC), accelerated phase (AP), or in chronic phase (CP) after failure of interferon-alpha therapy. Adult patients with relapsed or refractory Philadelphia chromosome positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (Ph+ ALL). Pediatric patients with newly diagnosed Philadelphia chromosome positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (Ph+ ALL) in combination with chemotherapy Adult patients with myelodysplastic/myeloproliferative diseases (MDS/MPD) associated with platelet-derived growth factor receptor (PDGFR) gene re-arrangements. Adult patients with aggressive systemic mastocytosis (ASM) without the D816V c-Kit mutation or with c-Kit mutational status unknown. Adult patients with hypereosinophilic syndrome (HES) and/or chronic eosinophilic leukemia (CEL) who have the FIP1L1-PDGFRα fusion kinase
The types of leukemia mentioned are:
- Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML):
- Chronic phase
- Blast crisis
- Accelerated phase
- Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL):
- Philadelphia chromosome positive (Ph+ ALL)
- Chronic eosinophilic leukemia (CEL)
- Myelodysplastic/myeloproliferative diseases (MDS/MPD) 2
From the Research
Types of Leukemia
- Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) 3, 4, 5, 6: a type of leukemia that affects the lymphoid line of blood cells, with an incidence of over 6500 cases per year in the United States alone.
- Acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) 4, 5: a cancer that affects the myeloid line of blood cells.
- Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) 4: a type of leukemia that is more common in adults.
- Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) 4, 6: a type of leukemia that can present initially in lymphoblastic crisis (LBC) mimicking Ph + B-lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL).
- Philadelphia-positive B-lymphoblastic leukemia (Ph + B-ALL) 6: a type of leukemia that can be distinguished from CML-LBC based on certain features.
Subtypes and Classification
- Leukemias can be classified into four broad subtypes: acute lymphoblastic, acute myelogenous, chronic lymphocytic, and chronic myelogenous 4.
- The classification of leukemias is reliant on an accurate picture of the development of the multifarious types of blood and immune cells 7.
- Recent progress has been made in understanding the complex relationships between the various hematopoietic stem cell-derived cell lineages, which has influenced the classification of hematological malignancies 7.