The Bone Marrow Aspiration/Biopsy (BMA/B) procedure may be done periodically throughout a person's treatment for Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia. The frequency can vary from physician to physician but most can anticipate the procedure at the time of diagnosis and perhaps yearly or more frequently until a deep response is achieved and maintained over time. Frequency may increase if incremental peripheral blood tests indicate a failure to achieve response milestones, particularly during the first 18 months of therapy.
A new set of guidelines are currently under consideration that would call for a BMA/B at the time of diagnosis and another at three months. At the three month test, if response has been acceptable, or beyond, patients may be able to go long term without having to have the procedure as frequently. As stated above, frequency may increase if peripheral blood tests indicate a loss of response or failure to achieve and maintain response milestones.
Patients participating in a clinical trial will find the trial protocol may stipulate a BMA/B schedule, which might be as frequent as every month.
