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Does Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia Cause Internal Bleeding?
My husband has been diagnosed with CML. He is on gleevec and it is working well, however, when he had submitted a stool sample (before being diagnosed) it came back with blood in it. He is going for a colonoscopy and upper GI test. My question - does CML cause internal bleeding, and does being on gleevec help or hurt this?Thank you,Susan
posted on
Sat, 15 Mar 2014
Medically reviewed by
Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team
Mon, 19 May 2014
Answered on
Tue, 20 May 2014
Last reviewed on
You have not mentioned whether your husband was in chronic phase or accelerated phase at diagnosis.
Chronic phase CML is unlikely to be associated with bleeding from gastrointestinal tract (GIT). Colonoscopy is the right way to proceed to look for a pathology in colon or rectum causing the bleed.
Accelerated phase CML can be associated with bleeding from GIT and in that case Gleevec is likely to stop the bleed by improving blood cell counts.
Please discuss it with your oncologist.
Chronic phase CML is unlikely to be associated with bleeding from gastrointestinal tract (GIT). Colonoscopy is the right way to proceed to look for a pathology in colon or rectum causing the bleed.
Accelerated phase CML can be associated with bleeding from GIT and in that case Gleevec is likely to stop the bleed by improving blood cell counts.
Please discuss it with your oncologist.
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