A leukemia diagnosis is devastating – and when the first steps in a treatment plan fail, patients can wonder what happens next.

There are a variety of reasons why treatments fail, and patients need to work with their healthcare team to explore their options if treatment failure occurs.
Herewith tips for patients, are Dr. Michael Mauro, (More-oh) and Karen, who is living with chronic myeloid leukemia, or CML.
BIO:DR. MICHAEL MAURO:
• Michael Mauro, MD, Professor of Medicine, Member and Attending Physician and Leader of the Myeloproliferative Neoplasms Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
o Dr. Mauro’s clinical expertise is in treating patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), as well as other myeloproliferative disorders, including myelofibrosis, polycythemia and thrombocytosis. In practice, he offers in-depth explanation regarding diagnoses and therapy options, and is a proponent of active partnerships with his patients to personalize decision-making and monitoring. He is a board-certified hematologist and leader of the Myeloproliferative Neoplasms Program within the Leukemia Service at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC). Before joining Memorial Sloan Kettering, Dr. Mauro was on the faculty of Oregon Health and Sciences University for 13 years. There, he directed the CML clinical trial program. He completed both residency and fellowship training at New York-Presbyterian Hospital / Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City.
o Location: Practices in both Manhattan (NYC) and Montvale, NJ campuses of MSKCC
o Specialty/Areas of Focus: Chronic Myeloid Leukemia; Myelofibrosis; Polycythemia; Thrombocytosis, Other Myeloproliferative Disorders
o Education: MD, Dartmouth Medical School
o Board Certifications: Hematology
BIO:KAREN L.
o Bio: Karen is a teacher, former runner turned yogi, wife and mother of two from Eden Prairie, Minnesota.
o Journey with CML:
§ When she began losing excessive weight and noticed a weakness in her legs during runs, she initially attributed these symptoms to turning 40 years old. Eventually she decided to visit her doctor, but her doctor was not concerned and told her to come back in a few months if she was still experiencing the same symptoms.
§ A few months later, Karen returned to her doctor for an ultrasound, which revealed her spleen was enlarged. Following a blood test, a nurse called Karen and told her it was suspected she had blood cancer and urged Karen to come straight to the hospital. The nurse expressed concerns about her potentially being at risk for a stroke. After further testing, it was confirmed that Karen had chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). Karen spent several days in the hospital to help regulate the CML. After she was released from the hospital, Karen started taking a daily medication to help control the CML. Eventually Karen was able to return to teaching and her usual activities.
§ Following her initial diagnosis, Karen developed a genetic mutation that caused her treatment for CML to stop working. Since there were no available treatment options effective against the mutation, Karen enrolled in a clinical trial and responded well to the treatment she was given.
§ Today,Karen remains on the medication she took in the clinical trial and is stillteaching.
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