Chronic myeloid leukemia. A perspective of the clinical and biologic issues of the chronic phase.

Although chronic myeloid leukemia is an incurable disease for the majority of patients, striking advances in our understanding of cell biology, molecular genetics, and new treatment programs involving interferon and bone marrow transplantation have led to clinical improvement for a small number of patients afflicted with this disease. Nevertheless, hope exists that such basic and clinical information will be expanded to a larger number of patients in the near future.