Chronic Myeloid Leukemia, Version 2.2024, NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology.

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is defined by the presence of Philadelphia chromosome resulting from a reciprocal translocation between chromosomes 9 and 22 [t9;22] that gives rise to a BCR::ABL1 fusion gene. CML occurs in 3 different phases (chronic, accelerated, and blast phase) and is usually diagnosed in the chronic phase in developed countries. Tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) therapy is a highly effective treatment option for patients with chronic phase-CML. The primary goal of TKI therapy in patients with chronic phase-CML is to prevent disease progression to accelerated phase-CML or blast phase-CML. Discontinuation of TKI therapy with careful monitoring is feasible in selected patients. This manuscript discusses the recommendations outlined in the NCCN Guidelines for the diagnosis and management of patients with chronic phase-CML.

Podcast 3. Lessons learned: managing financial costs and where you can go for more information.

The patient authors with over 48 years of combined real-world experience with chronic myeloid leukemia, and a healthcare professional, use their own personal experiences to describe the factors that may affect the patien-doctor relationship, patient care and outcomes. The authors believe that this podcast series and associated manuscript will aid both patients and healthcare professionals to improve their patient-doctor relationships and communication through diagnosis, treatment decision-making and learning to live with CML (or another disease). In this episode, they discuss managing financial costs and where to find resources and support groups.

The beginning: diagnosis and selecting your doctor.

The patient authors with over 48 years of combined real-world experience with chronic myeloid leukemia, and a healthcare professional, use their own personal experiences to describe the factors that may affect the patient-doctor relationship, patient care and outcomes. The authors believe that this podcast series and associated manuscript will aid both patients and healthcare professionals to improve their patient-doctor relationships and communication through diagnosis, treatment decision-making and learning to live with CML (or another disease). In this episode, they discuss the importance of the patient-doctor relationship, the patient authors' own diagnosis experiences and considerations when selecting a health care team.

Podcast 2. The journey: staying on top of your cancer.

The patient authors with over 48 years of combined real-world experience with chronic myeloid leukemia, and a healthcare professional, use their own personal experiences to describe the factors that may affect the patient-doctor relationship, patient care and outcomes. The authors believe that this podcast series and associated manuscript will aid both patients and healthcare professionals to improve their patient-doctor relationships and communication through diagnosis, treatment decision-making and learning to live with CML (or another disease). In this episode, they discuss communication between a patient and their healthcare team and establishing a treatment protocol.

The importance of developing open communication and a professional, long-term relationship between patients with chronic myeloid leukemia and their oncologist.

A good patient-doctor relationship and positive communication strongly influence patient quality of life and clinical outcomes. Demonstrating the importance of communication in the patient-doctor relationship are three patient authors who have 48 years of combined real-world experience with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) in the USA. Using their own personal experiences, these patient authors and a healthcare professional provide suggestions related to improving patient-doctor relationships and communication at each stage of the journey from diagnosis to learning to live with CML. The authors believe these recommendations are applicable to patients with CML and with other diseases, their caregivers and healthcare professionals.

Response of One Man of Science to Humanae Vitae.

The understanding of the full truth and beauty of the marital relationship has developed from a remedy for concupiscence (cf. 1 Cor 7:9) to "a sacrament of mutual sanctification and an act of worship" (St. John Paul II). With this development came a realization of the need to respond to the dilemma of couples who legitimately and responsibly wanted to avoid pregnancy but in fidelity to the Church's consistent teaching against contraception. In the middle of the last century, Dr. John Billings undertook to assist in the quest to find a reliable means of preventing pregnancy, which was in accord with natural moral law. He was aided in this quest by his wife Dr. Evelyn Billings and the many couples who contributed to the research. Their discovery formed the basis of all modern methods of natural family planning. "[T]he difference, both anthropological and moral, between contraception and recourse to the rhythm of the cycle…is a difference which is much wider and deeper than is usually thought.…The choice of the natural rhythms involves accepting the cycle…and thereby accepting dialogue, reciprocal respect, shared responsibility and self-control.…In this context the couple comes to experience how conjugal communion is enriched with those values of tenderness and affection which constitute the inner soul of human sexuality, in its physical dimension also". Nontechnical Summary: Pope Saint Paul VI's magnificent but much misunderstood encyclical "Humanae Vitae" called on men of science "to labour to explain more thoroughly the various conditions favouring a proper regulation of births." To doctors he asked that they "persevere in promoting on every occasion the discovery of solutions inspired by faith and right reason". Dr John Billings and his wife, Dr Evelyn Billings, devoted their lives to answering these calls which the Holy Father also made to them in person some years after he gave his encyclical to the Church.