Getting diagnosed with CML

Screening for chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML)

There is no national screening programme for chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML). This is because there isn’t a test that can pick up CML at an early stage.

What is cancer screening?

Screening means testing people for early stages of a disease. This is before they have any symptoms. For screening to be useful the tests:

need to be reliable at picking up cancers
overall must do more good than harm to people taking part
must be something that people are willing to do

Screening tests are not perfect and have some risks. The screening programme should also be good value for money for the NHS.

Why there isn’t a screening programme for CML in the UK?

There is no national screening programme for CML in the UK at the moment because:

doctors wouldn't find many cancers because it's rare
there is no suitable test to use for CML screening
the cost of screening would be high

With rare cancers, it is more cost effective to screen people who are thought to be at a higher risk. Talk to your GP if you think you are at a higher than average risk of CML. If your doctor agrees that you are at a higher risk, they may be able to give you regular check ups.

Find out about the risks and causes of CML

For general information and support you can talk to Cancer Research UK information nurses on freephone 0808 800 4040, from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.

Last reviewed: 04 Jun 2025

Next review due: 04 Jun 2028

Symptoms of CML

Many people with chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) won't have any symptoms at all. Some of the common symptoms can include feeling full or tummy discomfort, swollen lymph nodes, feeling weak and weight loss.

Tests to diagnose CML

Your doctor may suspect or sometimes diagnose CML from a blood test. You then have more tests to confirm your diagnosis and find out more about your CML.

Stages (phases) of CML

There are 2 systems to describe how far your CML has developed. You might have 2 or 3 phases. At the moment CML is mainly described using 3 phases. These are chronic, accelerated and blast. Knowing the phase helps your doctor decide which treatment you need.

What is CML?

Chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) is a type of cancer that affects the blood and bone marrow. It usually develops very slowly.

CML main page

CML starts in the white blood cells called granulocytes. It often develops slowly and treatment can keep it under control for many years. Find out more.