LEUKEMIA, Causes, Signs and Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment.

Summary

Leukemia is a cancer originating in bone marrow, leading to abnormal white blood cells. These cells, crucial for the immune system, fight infections but in leukemia, grow and divide uncontrollably. Classified as acute or chronic and lymphocytic or myelogenous, treatment varies based on type and progression. Symptoms include fever, easy bleeding, fatigue, and swollen lymph nodes. Diagnosis involves physical exams, blood tests, bone marrow tests, and biopsies. Treatments may include radiation, chemotherapy, stem cell transplants, targeted therapies, and immunotherapy.

Takeaways

• 🩺 Leukemia is a type of cancer that originates in the bone marrow and leads to an overproduction of abnormal white blood cells.
• 🔬 White blood cells are crucial for the immune system, fighting off infections and foreign substances.
• 🌱 In leukemia, bone marrow produces abnormal white blood cells that do not function properly and divide too quickly.
• 📈 Leukemia is categorized as acute or chronic, and as lymphocytic or myelogenous, based on the rate of progression and cell type involved.
• 🚑 Acute leukemia features immature cells that increase rapidly, necessitating immediate treatment, and is common in children.
• 👵 Chronic leukemia involves mature but abnormal white blood cells that accumulate slowly, typically affecting older adults.
• 🧬 Specific types of leukemia include acute lymphocytic (ALL), acute myelogenous (AML), chronic lymphocytic (CLL), and chronic myelogenous (CML).
• 🧬 The most common leukemia in children is ALL, while in adults, AML and CLL are most frequently diagnosed.
• 🔍 Leukemia can spread to other body parts and occurs when blood cells acquire DNA mutations, leading to rapid growth and accumulation.
• 🚭 Risk factors for leukemia include smoking, family history, exposure to chemicals like benzene, genetic disorders, and previous cancer treatments.
• 🩴 Symptoms of leukemia include fever, easy bleeding, night sweats, fatigue, bone pain, skin redness, bruising, weight loss, infections, and swollen lymph nodes.
• 🏥 Diagnosis involves physical exams, blood tests, bone marrow tests, and biopsies to identify leukemia cells and assess cancer spread.
• 💊 Treatment options depend on the type of leukemia, patient age, health status, and cancer spread, and may include radiation, chemotherapy, stem cell transplantation, targeted therapies, and immunotherapy.

Q & A

What is leukemia?

Leukemia is a type of cancer that arises in the bone marrow and results in a high number of abnormal white blood cells. It is also referred to as the cancer of the white blood cells.

What is the role of white blood cells in the immune system?

White blood cells are a vital part of the immune system and are potent infection fighters, protecting the body from invasion by bacteria, viruses, fungi, foreign substances, and abnormal cells.

How does leukemia affect the production of white blood cells?

In leukemia, abnormal white blood cells are produced from the bone marrow that do not function like normal white blood cells. They divide too quickly, eventually crowding out normal cells.

What are the two main classifications of leukemia based on progression speed?

Leukemia is classified into acute and chronic based on how fast it progresses.

What is the difference between acute and chronic leukemia?

In acute leukemia, abnormal cells are immature and increase rapidly, making the bone marrow unable to produce healthy cells. In chronic leukemia, abnormal cells are mature but build up more slowly over months or years.

What are the two types of cells involved in leukemia?

Leukemia can involve lymphocytic or myelogenous cells. Lymphocytic leukemia affects the lymphoid cells, while myelogenous leukemia affects the myeloid cells that form red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets.

What are the most common types of leukemia in children and adults?

The most common type of leukemia in children is acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). In adults, about 90% of cases are diagnosed with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) or chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).

How does leukemia spread to other parts of the body?

Leukemia can spread to other parts of the body such as the lungs, heart, and kidneys, causing the abnormal cells to accumulate and stop healthy blood cells from functioning normally.

What causes leukemia?

Leukemia happens when some blood cells acquire mutations in their DNA, causing them to grow and divide quickly and continue living when normal cells would die. These abnormal cells accumulate and crowd out normal cells.

What are some risk factors for developing leukemia?

Risk factors for leukemia include smoking, a family history of leukemia, exposure to certain chemicals like benzene, genetic disorders such as Down syndrome, and previous cancer treatment with chemotherapy or radiation.

What are the common symptoms of leukemia?

Symptoms of leukemia include fever or chills, easy bleeding or nosebleeds, night sweats, fatigue and weakness that doesn't go away, bone pain and tenderness, red spots on the skin, bruising easily, unintended weight loss, frequent or severe infections, and swollen lymph nodes, especially on the neck and armpits, enlarged liver or spleen.

What are the common tests used to diagnose leukemia?

Tests to diagnose leukemia include a physical exam, blood tests to look for abnormal levels of blood cells, bone marrow tests to identify leukemia cells, and biopsies of other organs to show if cancer has spread.

What are the treatment options for leukemia?

Treatment options for leukemia include radiation therapy, chemotherapy, stem cell transplantation, targeted therapies, and immunotherapy.