Chemotherapy for chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML)

Some people may be given low-dose chemotherapy if the number of white blood cells is very high when they are first diagnosed with CML. This may be while their doctors are waiting for test results to confirm whether the CML is likely to respond to a tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI).

The most commonly used chemotherapy drug for CML is hydroxycarbamide. You take this as tablets. Your doctor, nurse or pharmacist will tell you how many tablets to take. Your doctors will usually change your treatment to a TKI when they have your test results.

You may be given a combination of chemotherapy drugs if the CML is in the blast phase. This usually involves a nurse giving you 3 or 4 chemotherapy drugs into a vein (intravenously).

People who are treated with a stem cell transplant usually have intensive chemotherapy as preparation for the transplant.

Your doctor or specialist nurse will tell you about the chemotherapy drugs and their possible side effects.

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