Your doctor may discuss treatment milestones with you. Simply put, these are goals of treatment.

It’s understandable to feel overwhelmed by a diagnosis of Philadelphia chromosome–positive chronic myeloid leukemia (Ph+ CML) in chronic phase. While thinking about treatment goals may not be the first thing that comes to mind, it is something you’ll want to discuss with your doctor as you consider different medications.

Selecting a medication

It’s important to take an active role in your treatment from the start. Work with your doctor to determine which medication may help treat your disease and ask about potential side effects. Below are some questions you may want to ask your doctor before starting treatment.

Responding to treatment

Treatment milestones may be achieved when the number of cells with the abnormal BCR::ABL1 gene in the body decreases. Of course, not every patient will reach every treatment milestone.

Baseline BCR::ABL1 levels at diagnosis

• Initial tests likely show a high level of blood cells with the abnormal BCR::ABL1 gene

• Your doctor will use this number as a baseline—or starting point—to track your response to treatment

Major Molecular Response (MMR)

• Achieving MMR is one of the treatment milestones in Ph+ CML in chronic phase

• With MMR, BCR::ABL1 in the blood is ≤0.1%. In this case, 1 out of every 1,000 cells has the BCR::ABL1 gene

How is response measured?

Monitoring your blood is an important part of managing Ph+ CML in chronic phase. Your doctor will prescribe a range of blood tests to see if you are responding to treatment. Learn more

What if you’re not reaching your milestones?

If you’re not responding to your medication, it’s important to be your own advocate and talk with your doctor. It may be time to have a conversation about changing treatment. You can learn more about SCEMBLIX as a treatment option after you’ve already been on another medication by clicking here.

Next: Monitoring Ph+ CML in Chronic Phase >