Prevalence of micronutrient deficiency and its impact on the outcome of chronic myeloid leukemia

Introduction: Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML) is a clonal myeloproliferative disorder driven by the BCR-ABL fusion gene, leading to uncontrolled myeloid proliferation. Although tyrosine kinase inhibitors have improved survival, disease progression and resistance remain challenges. Emerging evidence suggests that oxidative stress and imbalance of trace elements such as copper, selenium, zinc, iron, and chromium may influence leukemogenesis and treatment response, highlighting their potential prognostic significance in CML.

Aim: The present study aimed to assess the prevalence of micronutrient deficiency and its impact on the outcome of chronic myeloid leukemia.

Methods: The case control study was conducted on 100 subjects, in which 60 Patients of CML and 40 Controls adjusted for Age and Sex from January 2023 to January 2024.

Results: Chromium and Selenium levels were significantly lower in CML patients compared to controls. Iron levels were slightly lower in CML patients compared to controls, in contrast to other studies that noted elevated levels. Copper levels were higher in newly diagnosed CML cases and drug-resistant cases, but not significantly different in other groups compared to controls. This implicates the role of copper toxicity in treatment resistance. Zinc levels were generally lower in CML patients compared to controls.

Conclusion: The study shows that serum trace elements are valuable indicators of disease progression in leukemia patients. Their levels are not affected by non-specific acute-phase reactions, and monitoring changes in these trace elements can help evaluate treatment response. Therefore, keeping track of trace element levels in CML patients could be a crucial aspect of their management