Leukemia – 3 ways to manage the condition
Leukemia, or blood cancer, originates in the bone marrow. It is a condition characterized by the uncontrolled growth of white blood cells. It differs from other types of cancer that are marked by the presence of a tumor. There are four types of the condition – acute lymphocytic leukemia, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, acute myelogenous leukemia, and chronic myelogenous leukemia. The condition is incurable, but following these tips can help manage the disease better:
Getting Treated
The patient must be put on the right treatment immediately after diagnosing the condition. TASIGNA® (nilotinib) and BLINCYTO ® (blinatumomab) are two prescribed treatments for leukemia.
TASIGNA ® (nilotinib)
This is advised for newly diagnosed adults with Philadelphia chromosome Chronic Myeloid Leukemia or Ph+ CML-CP. It is also recommended for adults who cannot tolerate or are not benefiting from other treatments. Children above 1 year who are newly diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia or those who are not benefiting from other therapies are also advised to try this treatment. It was approved in 2007 and has helped treat about 28,000 people in the US with the condition Ph+ CML-CP.
BLINCYTO ® (blinatumomab)
This is advised for adults and kids with B-cell precursor Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.