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Myelodysplastic/ Myeloproliferative Neoplasms Treatment (PDQ®)

Patient Version
Last Modified: 09/27/2011

Treatment Options for Myelodysplastic/Myeloproliferative Neoplasms

Chronic Myelomonocytic Leukemia
Juvenile Myelomonocytic Leukemia
Atypical Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia
Myelodysplastic/Myeloproliferative Neoplasm, Unclassifiable

A link to a list of current clinical trials is included for each treatment section. For some types or stages of cancer, there may not be any trials listed. Check with your doctor for clinical trials that are not listed here but may be right for you.

Chronic Myelomonocytic Leukemia

Treatment of chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) may include the following:

Check for U.S. clinical trials from NCI's list of cancer clinical trials that are now accepting patients with chronic myelomonocytic leukemia 1. For more specific results, refine the search by using other search features, such as the location of the trial, the type of treatment, or the name of the drug. General information about clinical trials is available from the NCI Web site 2.

Juvenile Myelomonocytic Leukemia

Treatment of juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia (JMML) may include the following:

Check for U.S. clinical trials from NCI's list of cancer clinical trials that are now accepting patients with juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia 3. For more specific results, refine the search by using other search features, such as the location of the trial, the type of treatment, or the name of the drug. General information about clinical trials is available from the NCI Web site 2.

Atypical Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia

Treatment of atypical chronic myelogenous leukemia (aCML) may include chemotherapy.

Check for U.S. clinical trials from NCI's list of cancer clinical trials that are now accepting patients with atypical chronic myeloid leukemia, BCR-ABL1 negative 4. For more specific results, refine the search by using other search features, such as the location of the trial, the type of treatment, or the name of the drug. General information about clinical trials is available from the NCI Web site 2.

Myelodysplastic/Myeloproliferative Neoplasm, Unclassifiable

Because myelodysplastic /myeloproliferative neoplasm, unclassifiable (MDS/MPN-UC) is a rare disease, little is known about its treatment. Treatment may include the following:

Check for U.S. clinical trials from NCI's list of cancer clinical trials that are now accepting patients with myelodysplastic/myeloproliferative neoplasm, unclassifiable 5. For more specific results, refine the search by using other search features, such as the location of the trial, the type of treatment, or the name of the drug. General information about clinical trials is available from the NCI Web site 2.



Glossary Terms

13-cis retinoic acid (... REH-tih-NOH-ik A-sid)
A drug that is used in the treatment of acne and psoriasis and is being studied in cancer prevention. It is a type of retinoid. Also called isotretinoin.
anemia (uh-NEE-mee-uh)
A condition in which the number of red blood cells is below normal.
chemotherapy (KEE-moh-THAYR-uh-pee)
Treatment with drugs that kill cancer cells.
chronic myelogenous leukemia (KRAH-nik MY-eh-LAH-jeh-nus loo-KEE-mee-uh)
A slowly progressing disease in which too many white blood cells (not lymphocytes) are made in the bone marrow. Also called chronic granulocytic leukemia, chronic myeloid leukemia, and CML.
chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (KRAH-nik MY-eh-loh-MAH-noh-SIH-tik loo-KEE-mee-uh)
A slowly progressing type of myelodysplastic/myeloproliferative disease in which too many myelomonocytes (a type of white blood cell) are in the bone marrow, crowding out other normal blood cells, such as other white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets. Also called CMML.
clinical trial (KLIH-nih-kul TRY-ul)
A type of research study that tests how well new medical approaches work in people. These studies test new methods of screening, prevention, diagnosis, or treatment of a disease. Also called clinical study.
combination chemotherapy (KOM-bih-NAY-shun KEE-moh-THAYR-uh-pee)
Treatment using more than one anticancer drug.
imatinib mesylate (ih-MA-tih-nib MEH-zih-layt)
A drug used to treat different types of leukemia and other cancers of the blood, gastrointestinal stromal tumors, skin tumors called dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans, and a rare condition called systemic mastocytosis. It is also being studied in the treatment of other types of cancer. Imatinib mesylate blocks the protein made by the bcr/abl oncogene. It is a type of tyrosine kinase inhibitor. Also called Gleevec and STI571.
infection (in-FEK-shun)
Invasion and multiplication of germs in the body. Infections can occur in any part of the body and can spread throughout the body. The germs may be bacteria, viruses, yeast, or fungi. They can cause a fever and other problems, depending on where the infection occurs. When the body’s natural defense system is strong, it can often fight the germs and prevent infection. Some cancer treatments can weaken the natural defense system.
juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia (JOO-veh-NILE MY-eh-loh-MAH-noh-SIH-tik loo-KEE-mee-uh)
A rare form of childhood leukemia in which cancer cells often spread into tissues such as the skin, lung, and intestines. Also called JMML.
myelodysplastic syndromes (MY-eh-loh-dis-PLAS-tik SIN-dromz)
A group of diseases in which the bone marrow does not make enough healthy blood cells. Also called preleukemia and smoldering leukemia.
myeloproliferative disorder (MY-eh-loh-proh-LIH-feh-ruh-tiv dis-OR-der)
A group of slow growing blood cancers, including chronic myelogenous leukemia, in which large numbers of abnormal red blood cells, white blood cells, or platelets grow and spread in the bone marrow and the peripheral blood.
stage (stayj)
The extent of a cancer in the body. Staging is usually based on the size of the tumor, whether lymph nodes contain cancer, and whether the cancer has spread from the original site to other parts of the body.
stem cell transplant (stem sel tranz-plant)
A method of replacing immature blood-forming cells in the bone marrow that have been destroyed by drugs, radiation, or disease. Stem cells are injected into the patient and make healthy blood cells. A stem cell transplant may be autologous (using a patient’s own stem cells that were saved before treatment), allogeneic (using stem cells donated by someone who is not an identical twin), or syngeneic (using stem cells donated by an identical twin).
supportive care (suh-POR-tiv kayr)
Care given to improve the quality of life of patients who have a serious or life-threatening disease. The goal of supportive care is to prevent or treat as early as possible the symptoms of a disease, side effects caused by treatment of a disease, and psychological, social, and spiritual problems related to a disease or its treatment. Also called comfort care, palliative care, and symptom management.
targeted therapy (TAR-geh-ted THAYR-uh-pee)
A type of treatment that uses drugs or other substances, such as monoclonal antibodies, to identify and attack specific cancer cells. Targeted therapy may have fewer side effects than other types of cancer treatments.
therapy (THAYR-uh-pee)
Treatment.

Table of Links

1http://www.cancer.gov/Search/ClinicalTrialsLink.aspx?Diagnosis=40361&tt=1&a
mp;format=1&cn=1
2http://www.cancer.gov/clinicaltrials
3http://www.cancer.gov/Search/ClinicalTrialsLink.aspx?Diagnosis=38439&tt=1&a
mp;format=1&cn=1
4http://www.cancer.gov/Search/ClinicalTrialsLink.aspx?Diagnosis=335175&tt=1&
amp;format=1&cn=1
5http://www.cancer.gov/Search/ClinicalTrialsLink.aspx?Diagnosis=335177&tt=1&
amp;format=1&cn=1