| Additional Info: |
Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia is characterized by a neoplastic proliferation of myeloid cells in the marrow resulting in an increase in circulating mature and immature myeloid cells. Bone marrow biopsy reveals a hypercellular marrow, left shifted myeloid cells (with a blast population less than 20% and a preponderance of myelocytes). Abnormal (dysplastic - small size, distinct nuclear lobes, hypolobate nuclei) megakaryocytes are commonly seen - often in relatively large number.
The vast majority of CML results from a defining chromosomal translocation t(9:22)(q34:q11), resulting in the p210 version of the fusion protien between the NH2 terminal of BCR and the COOH terminal sequences of Abl. |