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A Acute leukemia: A quickly progressing cancer of the blood that makes the body produce too many cancerous white blood cells. Allogeneic transplant: A procedure in which a donor’s stem cells are removed, stored, and placed into a patient’s bone marrow after receiving high-dose drug therapy. Anticonvulsant: A drug or treatment that prevents seizures or makes them less severe. Antihistamine: A medicine used to reduce an allergic rash associated with therapy for GIST. Autologous transplant: A procedure in which a patient’s own stem cells are removed, stored, and eventually replaced after the patient receives high-dose drug therapy. This type of transplant is rarely used to treat CML. B bcr-abl: An abnormal gene that is formed when 2 specific chromosomes combine. This gene directs the production of a protein, called bcr-abl, that is the underlying cause of Ph+ CML. Bone marrow: The soft, spongy inner part of bones where blood cells are made. Bone marrow transplant (BMT): A procedure to replace bone marrow destroyed by high doses of anticancer drugs with healthy bone marrow. C Chemotherapy: The use of drugs to destroy rapidly dividing cancer cells throughout the body. It may also destroy healthy cells that divide rapidly. Chromosome: Part of the nucleus of the cell that contains the genes. Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML): A slowly progressing blood and bone marrow disease that usually occurs during or after middle age, and rarely occurs in children. Most types of CML have a genetic defect called the Philadelphia chromosome that causes the constant production of abnormal white blood cells. Complete blood count: A test of the blood that includes red blood cell count, white blood cell count, erythrocyte indices, hematocrit, differential blood count, and sometimes platelet count.Cytogenetic response: A complete cytogenetic response means that, using currently available tests, no cells with the Ph chromosome are found in the patient's bone marrow sample or blood sample. A major cytogenetic response means that no more than 35% of the cells in the patient's bone marrow sample or blood sample have the Ph chromosome. D DNA: The chemical inside the nucleus of a cell that carries the genetic instructions for making proteins. Genes are made of DNA. F FISH (fluorescence in situ hybridization): A sensitive test done on either blood or bone marrow cells to look for abnormal cells that contain the bcr-abl gene (which is located on the Ph chromosome). This test can find 1 abnormal cell out of 200 to 500 normal cells. G Gene: The basic unit of heredity passed from parent to child. Genes are made of DNA and carry instructions for making proteins. H Hematologic response: A complete hematologic response means WBC, platelet, and RBC counts must have returned to a normal range, which should happen within the first 3 months of therapy. Hematologic testing: A simple blood test to measure levels of white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets. Hydroxyurea: A chemotherapy agent often used to treat CML. I Interferon-alpha: Body's natural substance often used to fight cancer cells. K Karyotyping: A cytogenetic test to identify chromosome abnormalities as the cause of a disease. This test looks at a small number of cells (about 20). M Molecular response: A complete molecular response means that, using currently available tests, there is no Bcr-Abl protein found in the bone marrow sample or blood sample. A major molecular response means that the amount of Bcr-Abl protein found in the bone marrow sample or blood sample is very low. Molecular testing: The use of PCR to count the number of cells containing the bcr-abl gene in either blood or bone marrow. P Philadelphia Chromosome: An abnormal chromosome, which is responsible for the constant production of abnormal white blood cells (myeloid cells) that are present in CML. Platelets: Type of blood cell that helps blood to clot. Protein: An essential component of all living cells that is made up of amino acids. R Red blood cell: Type of blood cell that carries oxygen to other cells in the body. RT-PCR (reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction): A very sensitive test to count the number of cells containing the bcr-abl gene (which is located on the Ph chromosome). It can be done on either blood or bone marrow cells and can detect the presence of a single abnormal cell in 1 million cells.
S Side effect: A result of drug therapy other than the desired effect. Spleen: An organ that is part of the vascular system; serves to store and filter blood. Stem cell: An early cell that matures into various types of blood cells. Stem cell transplant: Another name for a bone marrow transplant. T Translocation: A process in which 2 or more chromosomes break, and the broken parts of the chromosomes switch places. This forms new hybrid chromosomes with often abnormal functions. Tyrosine kinase: A protein that is involved with certain forms of cancer, including Ph+ CML. Medicine called tyrosine kinase inhibitors targets this enzyme as a treatment for Ph+ CML. W White blood cell: Type of blood cell that fights infection. |
