Abstract
Chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) is a clonal myeloproliferative disease which represents 15-20 % of newly diagnosed leukaemias. It is an example of a disease where the new findings in molecular biology enabled detailed recognition of disease nature as well as the discovery of a new treatment principal by tyrosin-kinase Bcr-Abl inhibition as a main therapeutic target.
The introduction of tyrosin kinase inhibitors (TKI) to clinical practice has meant revolutionary change in treatment strategy and has significantly influences both the prognoses and the quality of life. Currently, three agents are available for the first line treatment: imatinib, nilotinib and dasatinib.
In the case of failure or intolerance there are two more: bosutinib and ponatinib. Estimated 10 years survival has raised from former 20 % to 80-90 %.
Expected median survival of patients diagnosed in chronic phase who are good treatment responders is estimated to 25 years and more. CML has changed from a bad prognosis disease to a chronical illness and one of the best treatable haematological malignancies.