Questions to Ask Your Doctor about Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia

• What is the stage of my chronic myelogenous leukemia?
• What is the percentage of "blasts" in my bone marrow or blood?
• Is the size of my spleen abnormally large?
• What is your initial approach to treatment for my stage of chronic myelogenous leukemia?

• What are the risks and benefits of the following types of treatments:

  • interferon-alpha
  • imatinib mesylate (Gleevec)
  • allogeneic SCT

• How soon after I begin treatment will I know if the treatment is working?

• What type of monitoring and follow-up care will be required?
• What is your approach to treatment is my chronic myelogenous leukemia comes back after treatment?
• What is my prognosis?
• What can I expect in terms of quality of life both during and after treatment?
• Are there any clinical trials for which I may be eligible?
• What are the risks and benefits of clinical trials for patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia?