Leukemia

What Is Leukemia?
The is a type of Cancer. Cancer is a group of many related diseases. All Cancers begin in cells that make up the blood and other tissues. Normally, cells grow and divide to form new cells as the body needs them. When cells age, they die, and new cells take their place.

Sometimes, it goes wrong orderly process. New cells form when the body does not need them, and old cells do not die when they should. is a cancer that starts in blood cells.

What Types Of Leukemia?
The types of Leukemia are grouped by how the disease develops rapidly and worse. Is either chronic (gets worse slowly) or acute (rapidly growing) :

• Chronic Leukemia at the beginning of the disease, the abnormal blood cells can still do their job, people with chronic leukemia and may not have any symptoms. Slowly, the chronic leukemia worsens. It causes symptoms such as Leukemia, the number of cells in the blood increases.
• Acute -blood cells are abnormal. They can not perform their normal work. The number of abnormal cells grow quickly. Acute Leukemia rapidly escalating.
  

Types of Leukemia are grouped by type of white blood cell that is affected. may occur in lymphoid cells or myeloid cells. Lymphocytic that affects cells is called lymphocytic leukemia. Myelogenous leukemia, which affects the cells is called the myeloid leukemia or myeloid leukemia.

There are four (4) types of Leukemia:

1. Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (Chronic Lymphoblastic Leukemia, CLL) represents approximately 7000 new cases of leukemia each year. Most often, people diagnosed with the disease are over age 55. It almost never affects children.
2. Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (Chronic Myeloid Leukemia, CML) accounts for about 4400 new cases of leukemia each year. It affects mainly adults.
3. Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, ALL) accounts for about 3800 new cases of leukemia each year. It is the most common type of leukemia in young children. It also affects adults.
4. Acute Myeloid Leukemia (Acute Myeloid Leukemia, AML) accounts for about 10600 new cases of leukemia each year. It occurs in both adults and children.
   

Hairy cell leukemia is a rare type of chronic leukemia. This booklet does not deal with rare hairy cell leukemia or other types of leukemia. Together, these rare leukemia represents about 5200 new cases of leukemia each year.

Who Is At Risk For Leukemia?
No one knows the exact causes of leukemia. Doctors can seldom explain why one person gets this disease, and the other is not. However, research has shown that people with certain risk factors are more likely than others to develop leukemia. A risk factor is something that increases a person chance of developing a disease.

Studies have found the following risk factors for leukemia:

• Very high levels of radiation-People exposed to very high levels of radiation were much more likely than others to develop leukemia. Very high levels of radiation have been caused by explosions of atomic bombs (such as those of Japan during the Second World War) and the nuclear plant accidents (like Chernobyl [also called Chernobyl] accident in 1986). Medical treatment that uses radiation can be another source of high levels of exposure. Radiation used for the diagnosis, however, exposes people to much lower levels of radiation and is not linked to leukemia.
• Working with certain chemicals, exposure to high levels of benzene in the workplace can cause leukemia. Benzene is widely used in the chemical industry. Formaldehyde is also used in the chemical industry. Workers exposed to formaldehyde may also be at a higher risk of leukemia.
• Chemotherapy-cancer patients treated with certain drugs to fight cancer, sometimes later develop leukemia. For example, drugs known as alkylating agents are associated with the development of leukemia many years later.
• Down syndrome and certain other genetic diseases - Some diseases caused by abnormal chromosomes may increase the risk of leukemia.
• Human T-cell leukemia virus - I (HTLV - I) - This virus causes a rare type of human chronic lymphocytic leukemia known as T-cell leukemia. However, leukemia did not appear to be contagious.<
• Myelodysplastic syndrome patients blood are more likely to develop acute myeloid leukemia.
  

In the past, some studies suggested exposure to electromagnetic fields as another possible risk factor for leukemia. Electromagnetic fields are a type of low-energy radiation that emanates from power lines and electrical appliances. However, the results of recent studies show that the evidence is insufficient to electromagnetic fields as a risk factor.

Most people who have known risk factors do not get leukemia. On the other hand, many who do get the disease have none of these risk factors. People who think they may be at risk of leukemia should discuss this problem with their doctor. The doctor can suggest ways to reduce the risk and can plan a schedule for exams.

What Are The Symptoms Of Leukemia?
Like all blood cells, leukemia cells travel through the body. Depending on the number of abnormal cells and where these cells collect, patients with leukemia may have a number of symptoms.

Symptoms of leukemia:

1. Fevers or night sweats
2. Frequent infections.
3. Feeling weak or tired.
4. Headache
5. Bleeding and bruising easily ( bleeding gums, the presence of patches of the skin or tiny red spots under the skin)
6. Pain in the bones or joints
7. Discomfort or swelling of the abdomen (d ' splenomegaly)
8. A swollen lymph glands, especially in the neck or armpit
9. Weight Loss
   

These symptoms are not sure signs of leukemia . An infection or other problem could also cause these symptoms. Anyone with these symptoms should see a doctor as soon as possible. Only a doctor can diagnose and treat the problem.

In the early stages of chronic leukemia, the leukemia cells function almost normally. Symptoms may not appear for a long time. Doctors are often at a chronic leukemia routine check, before there are any symptoms. When symptoms appear, they are usually mild at first and gradually worsen.

In acute leukemia, symptoms appear and escalate quickly. People with this disease go to their doctor because they feel sick. Other symptoms of acute leukemia are vomiting, confusion, loss of muscle control, and seizures. cells can also accumulate in the testicles and cause swelling. In addition, some patients develop lesions in the eyes or on the skin. also can affect the digestive tract, kidneys, lungs or other parts of the body.

How Is Diagnosed Leukemia?
If a person has symptoms that suggest leukemia, a doctor may do a physical examination and ask questions about the patient personal and family medical history. The doctor may also order lab tests, in particular blood tests.

Exams and tests may include:

• Physical Exam - The doctor checks for swelling of the lymph nodes, spleen and liver.
• Blood Tests - Laboratory checks the level of blood cells. Results in a very high level of white blood cells. It is also the cause of low levels of hemoglobin and platelets, which is located inside the red blood cells. The lab can also check the blood evidence that leukemia has affected the liver and kidneys.
• Biopsy - The doctor removes some marrow from the hipbone or some other large bones. A pathologist examines the sample under a microscope. The removal of tissue in search of cancer cells is called a biopsy. A biopsy is the only sure way to know whether the cells are leukemia in the bone marrow. There are two ways, the doctor can get the bone marrow. Some patients have two procedures :-
  
  1. The marrow aspiration, the doctor uses a needle to remove samples of bone marrow.
  2. The marrow biopsy, the doctor uses a needle very thick, remove a small piece of bone and bone marrow. Anesthesia local help to make the patient more comfortable.
• Cytogenetics Laboratory - Focuses on the chromosomes of cells from samples of peripheral blood, bone marrow and lymph nodes.
• Spinal Tap - The doctor removes some of the cerebrospinal fluid (the fluid that fills the spaces in and around the brain and spinal cord). The doctor uses a long, thin needle to remove fluid from the spine. The procedure takes about 30 minutes and is performed with a local anesthetic. The patient must lie flat for several hours afterward, to avoid a headache. The lab checks the oil for leukemia cells or other signs of problems.
• The Chest X-Ray - The X-ray radiography can reveal signs of the disease in the chest.
  

Treatment Methods
The doctor is the best person to describe the treatment options and discuss the expected results. Depending on the type and extent of the disease, patients can have Chemotherapy, Biological Therapy, Radiotherapy or bone marrow transplantation.

If the patient spleen is enlarged, the doctor may suggest surgery to remove it. Some patients receive a combination of treatments.

People with acute leukemia must be treated immediately. The goal of treatment is to achieve a remission. Then, when the signs and symptoms disappear, more therapy can be given to prevent a relapse. This type of therapy is called maintenance. Many people with acute leukemia can be cured.

Chronic leukemia patients who have no symptoms may not require immediate treatment. The doctor may suggest watchful waiting in some patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia. The health care team will monitor the patient health so that treatment can begin if symptoms occur or worsen. When the treatment of chronic leukemia is necessary, it can often control the disease and its symptoms. However, chronic leukemia can rarely be cured. Patients may receive a maintenance therapy to keep the cancer in remission.

A patient may wish to speak to their doctor about taking part in a clinical trial, a research study of new methods of treatment. The section on "The promise of cancer research has more information about clinical trials.

In addition to cancer, people with leukemia may have a treatment to control pain and other symptoms of disease, relieve the side effects, or to ease emotional problems. This type of treatment is called symptom management, supportive care or palliative care.
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