Leukemia: Chronic MyelogenousU-M Comprehensive Cancer Center The University of Michigan Health System web site does not provide specific medical advice and does not endorse any medical or professional service obtained through information provided on this site or any links to this site. Use of the UMHS web site does not replace medical consultation with a qualified health or medical professional to meet the health and medical needs of you or others. While the content of the UMHS web site is frequently updated, medical information changes rapidly and therefore, some information may be out of date, and/or contain inaccuracies or typographical errors . Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) is a rare, life-threatening cancer that starts in the bone marrow. Marrow is the soft, fatty tissue inside the bones. Blood cells are made in the bone marrow. When you have leukemia, the bone marrow makes abnormal white blood cells. Normal white blood cells help your body fight infections. Although these leukemia cells are not normal, at first they function almost normally. However, leukemia can cause the number of white blood cells in the bone marrow to be 20 to 40 times higher than normal. The leukemia cells then crowd out healthy blood cells and can affect your ability to fight infection. Another name for this type of leukemia is chronic myeloid leukemia . How does it occur? The cause of this cancer is not known. However, often it appears to be related to an abnormal chromosome called the Philadelphia chromosome. The Philadelphia chromosome is not passed from parent to child. Exposure to very high levels of radiation is another risk factor. CML develops mainly in people who are middle-aged and sometimes in people who are older.

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