Bone marrow transplantation for chronic myelogenous leukemia

Based on our understanding of CML, we recommend that patients age 65 or less with newly diagnosed CML should be evaluated to determine the stage of their disease and should be human lymphocyte antigen-typed along with their siblings. Patients age 55 years and younger who have matched or single antigen mismatched siblings should be advised to undergo BMT as soon as possible and patients up to age 65 should be considered for BMT early in their disease course if in good health. Patients age 55 years or younger without appropriately matched family member donors should have a search for an unrelated donor initiated and should be offered BMT if an appropriate donor is found. Patients for whom no donor is found and older patients without family matches can be considered for entry onto clinical trials evaluating autologous BMT or other experimental approaches.