What is Philadelphia Chromosome in Leukemia?
Author: Hanna Phung
What is it?
The Philadelphia chromosome is a genetic change that is strongly associated with a type of leukemia called chronic myeloid leukemia (CML).
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When leukemia cells build up in the bone marrow, they can interfere with the production of normal blood cells.
Symptoms
Common symptoms can include:
Tiredness or weakness - too few healthy red blood cells can cause anemia.
Frequent infections - abnormal or reduced-function white blood cells can make it harder to fight infections.
Easy bruising or bleeding- low platelets can affect blood clotting.
Fever or night sweats - can occur with leukemia.
Unexplained weight loss or decreased appetite
Bone or joint pain
Feeling full quickly or pain under the left ribs - the spleen can become enlarged, especially in CML.
Some people with CML have few or no symptoms at first, and it can sometimes be discovered through a routine blood test.
Can it be prevented?
There is currently no known way to prevent the Philadelphia chromosome from developing.
That’s because it is usually an acquired genetic change that happens randomly in a blood-forming cell. It isn’t something a person gets from eating a certain food, having a particular lifestyle, or inheriting it from their parents.
So unlike some diseases where reducing a risk factor can prevent the disease, there isn’t a specific prevention strategy for Philadelphia-chromosome-positive leukemia.
What Can be done?
Although it can’t currently be prevented, early detection and treatment can be very effective, particularly for CML.
Doctors can use:
Blood tests to look for abnormal blood-cell counts
Genetic testing to identify the Philadelphia chromosome/BCR-ABL1
PCR testing to measure BCR-ABL1 levels during treatment
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