chronic granulocytic leukemia

Definition of chronic granulocytic leukemia

chronic granulocytic leukemia (KRAH-nik GRAN-yoo-loh-SIH-tik loo-KEE-mee-uh): An indolent (slow-growing) cancer in which too many myeloblasts are found in the blood and bone marrow. Myeloblasts are a type of immature blood cell that makes white blood cells called myeloid cells. Chronic granulocytic leukemia may get worse over time as the number of myeloblasts increases in the blood and bone marrow. This may cause fever, fatigue, easy bleeding, anemia, infection, a swollen spleen, bone pain, or other signs and symptoms. Chronic granulocytic leukemia is usually marked by a chromosome change called the Philadelphia chromosome, in which a piece of chromosome 9 and a piece of chromosome 22 break off and trade places with each other. It usually occurs in older adults and rarely occurs in children. Also called chronic myelogenous leukemia, chronic myeloid leukemia, and CML.

Source: NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms