Progression, detection and remission: evolution of chronic myeloid leukemia using a three-stage probabilistic model

Abstract

We present a three-stage probabilistic model for the progression of Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML), as manifested by the leukemic stem cells, progenitor cells and mature leukemic cells. This progression is captured through the process of cell division and cell mutation, with probabilities of occurrence being assigned to both of them. The key contributions of this study include, the determination of the expected number of the leukemic stem cells, progenitor cells, mature leukemic cells, as well as total number of these cells (in terms of probabilities, and contingent on the initial cell count), expected time to reach a threshold level of total and injurious leukemic cells, as well as the critical time when the disease changes its phases, the probability of extinction of CML, and the dynamics of CML evolution consequent to primary therapy. Finally, the results obtained are demonstrated with numerical illustrations.