Symptoms of CML

“Living with CML is a Bummer

But it doesn’t have to be.”

For many people, symptoms of CML may be slow to develop. In most cases, patients may have no symptoms at all for some time.

When symptoms do appear, they may include:

Getting tired more easily than usual
Shortness of breath
Pale skin colour
Body aches or a dragging feeling in the upper left belly (signs of a swollen spleen)
Weight loss
On rare occasions, night sweats or fever
A feeling of fullness after eating a small amount

Many of the symptoms associated with CML can also be related to other diseases. So having a doctor perform various blood tests and bone marrow tests is the only way to know for sure if you have CML (see Testing for CML).

The Three Phases of CML

Chronic Phase	Over-supply of abnormal white blood cells, but healthy blood cells still function normally. Fewer than 15 per cent blasts. Most people present in chronic phase.	Mild or no symptoms.
Accelerated Phase	Red blood cell and/or platelet counts may decrease. 15 per cent to 30 per cent blasts.	Worsening symptoms.
Blast phase (also called “blast crisis” or “blastic phase”)	Red blood cell and platelet counts drop. Over 30 per cent blasts.	Life-threatening symptoms, may include infections or bleeding.