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Chronic myelogenous leukemia is characterized by a chronic phase that can last for months or years. The disease may have few or no symptoms during the chronic phase. Eventually, the chronic phase progresses to a more dangerous "accelerated phase," during which the leukemia cells grow more quickly.
Acceleration of the disease may be associated with fever (without infection), bone pain, and an enlarged spleen. Within 5 years, in most people, the disease then progresses to a "blast crisis," when there is a very high count of immature white blood cells (leukemia cells). The blast phase of the leukemia is very difficult to treat. Bleeding and infection may occur due to bone marrow failure.
Other possible symptoms include:
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