 Leukemia is a condition that affects the body's blood forming cells. Leukemia begins in the bone marrow and is characterized by an abundance of (cancerous) white blood cells in the body.
Leukemia cancer cells are abnormal blood cells that cannot operate normally. Leukemia cells cannot help the body fight infections, and for this reason, people with leukemia often get infections and have fevers often. Aditionally, people with leukemia often have less than the normal amount of healthy red blood cells and platelets, so as a result, there are not enough red blood cells to uptake oxygen through to the rest of the body. With this condition ( anemia ) patients may look pale and feel weak and tired. When there are not enough blood plasma platelets, patients will bleed and bruise easily.
Leukemia is a cancer that affects the bone marrow and the blood cells and it is a name that is used for four different types of cancer of the bone marrow and blood and these are;
1 - Acute Myelogenous Leukemia
2 - Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia
3 - Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia
4 - Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia
These are classified as Acute Leukemia and Chronic Leukemia.
Acute Leukemias
Acute leukemia,on the other hand, develop from early cells, called "blasts". Blasts are young cells, that divide frequently. In acute leukemia cells, they don't stop dividing like their normal counterparts do. The remain two types refer to the type of cells in which the leukemia started from.
Chronic Leukemias
In chronic leukemia, the leukemia cells come from mature, abnormal cells. The cells thrive for too long and accumulate.The cells grow slowly.
Myelogenous Leukemia
The Myelogenous Leukemia is a form of cancer that affects the production of the red blood cells and it begins with the bone marrow where most of the body’s red blood cells are made, along with some white cells and platelets.
In a healthy body there are white blood cells that aid the body in fighting infection, there are red blood cells that carry oxygen through the body and there are platelets that help the blood to clot all of which are made in the bone marrow.
Lymphocytic Leukemia
The Lymphoctic or Lymphoblastic are cancerous changes that take place in the part of the marrow that forms lymphocytes.
In a body that has leukemia the bone marrow begins producing an abnormal amount of white blood cells and the leukemia cells will rid the body of normal blood cells.
Core Symptoms
Some of the symptoms can be fever and chills along with other flu symptoms, weakness and fatigue as well as a loss of appetite and anemia. There are other symptoms like swollen or bleeding gums and neurological symptoms such as headaches. Other symptoms are bone and joint pain, bruising, swelling of the belly or pain in the left side of the stomach and pinhead sized red spots under the skin.
With Chronic Leukemia the patient may have no signs of the disease until a regular check up blood test identifies it or the patient might notice enlarge lymph nodes that can be in the neck, armpits and groin areas. Tiredness and shortness of breath may also be symptoms that will send a patient to their physician.
The people most at risk for leukemia are:
- Patients that have had certain previous chemotherapy treatments for lymphoma and other types if cancer can be at risk of leukemia.
- 60% to 70% of cases of leukemia are diagnosed in patients ages 50 and over.
- Patients who have had radiation therapy.
- People who are continuously exposed to benzene.
- There is also some evidence of people with Downs Syndrome and some diseases that are more at risk for leukemia.
- Smoking is a considerable risk factor for leukemia, especially a type of leukemia called acute myelogenous leukemia, or AML. The carcinogens in cigarettes are absorbed by the lungs and then travel to the bloodstream. It is estimated that 1 in 4 cases of AML are caused by smoking.
- The Human T-Cell Leukemia Virus is a type of virus that infects T cells (a type of white blood cell) and can cause leukemia and lymphoma. HTLV-1 is spread by sharing syringes or needles used to inject drugs, through blood transfusions, through sexual contact, and from mother to child at birth or through breast-feeding.
- People with Down's Syndrome are also at a higher risk for developing leukemia.
There is also research that shows men are more likely to have leukemia than women, white males more than other races and Americans more than other nationalities.
Family history
Leukemia does not appear to run in families, but certain inherited cancers may increase risk. For example, a general family history of cancer may represent shared genetic risk factors for all types of leukemia. The role of family history of cancer in leukemia etiology is unclear because of differential reporting by patients and proxies. Over-all, a family history of cancer is estimated to increase your probability between 14-20%.
Age
Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia is the most common type of cancer diagnosed in children which accounts for about 75% of cases of childhood leukemia. Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia is the least common type of leukemia among adults. About 1 in 3 cases of ALL occur in adults over the age of 19, however, it seems to be U-shaped: highest between the ages of 3-7 and rising to a peak again after the age of 40.
History
Caucasian and Hispanic children have a higher risk for ALL than African-American children.
Eliminating Leukemia
Early detection means that treatment can begin and with some forms of leukemia there are little or no symptoms until many of the red blood cells have been depleted.
The System of Cancer Factors addresses the bodily conditions of leukemia blood cancer. Please take the time right now to learn and understand how the System of Cancer Factors works. How it works
|
