What's New in Chronic Myelomonocytic Leukemia Research and Treatment?

Research into the causes, diagnosis, and treatment of chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) is being done at many cancer research centers. CMML has been hard to study, because it isn't common, and because it's taken researchers many years to determine what makes it different from other blood diseases. But scientists continue to make progress in understanding this disorder.

Genetics

Researchers are learning more about which changes in a person's DNA (the substance that makes up our genes) can cause normal bone marrow cells to develop into leukemia cells. Studies have found that changes in the structure or activity of certain genes in CMML cells may help predict a person's outcome and how likely they are to go on to develop acute leukemia. Researchers are also hoping that finding some of the gene changes in CMML cells might lead to treatments that target these changes (see below).

Chemotherapy and other drugs

Studies are in progress to find which chemotherapy drugs can help treat CMML, while trying to limit side effects. New drugs are continually being developed and tested.

As researchers have learned more about what makes cancer cells different from normal cells, they've developed drugs that target these differences. Studies are now looking at some of these targeted therapies to treat CMML. These drugs target things like specific cell signaling pathways to shut down CMML cell growth.

Stem cell transplant

Scientists continue to refine stem cell transplants so that they work better and cause fewer problems. They are also looking at which patients will benefit the most and how newer transplant methods might be used to treat CMML.