Leukemia – Causes, Symptoms And Treatment Of Leukemia

Leukemia is a malignant disease (cancer) of the bone marrow and blood. It is characterized by the uncontrolled accumulation of blood cells. In AML, the bone marrow makes many unformed cells called blasts. AML starts with a change to a single cell in the bone marrow. With AML, the leukemic cells are often referred. to as blast cells. Acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) is a fast-growing cancer in which the body produces a large number of immature white blood cells (lymphocytes). AML is the most common acute leukemia affecting, and its incidence increases with age. Acute leukemia is a rapidly progressing disease that results in the accumulation of immature, functionless cells in the marrow and blood. In acute leukemia, cancerous cells multiply quickly and replace normal cells.

The four main types of leukemia result in varying symptoms, and call for different treatments. The general signs of the disease, however, usually include a feeling of weakness or fatigue, abnormal bruising or wounds that are slow to heal, bone or joint pain, or anemia (low red blood cell count),

Causes of Leukemia

Acute leukemia: In acute leukemia, the abnormal blood cells are immature blood cells (blasts). They can't carry out their normal work, and they multiply rapidly, so the disease worsens quickly. Acute leukemia requires aggressive, timely treatment.

Viruses: The human T-cell leukemia virus I (HTLV-I) is related to acute T-cell leukemia. This type of leukemia is well documented in parts of the Caribbean and Asia, but it is uncommon in the United States and Europe. Higher rates of leukemias also have been reported in workers who are exposed to animal viruses (e.g., butchers, slaughterhouse workers, veterinary practitioners).

Leukemia sometimes progresses more slowly - this is called chronic leukemia. Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) is most frequently diagnosed in the elderly in the course of a general investigation of blood. There may be no associated symptoms except pallor and weakness due to anemia which develops slowly as the disease progresses. There may be enlarged glands which can cause pressure symptoms particularly in the region of the throat producing breathing difficulties. In elderly patients the disease may remain inactive even without treatment which is held in reserve until symptoms become apparent.

Symptoms of Leukemia
Early stages of the disease often show no symptoms, but as the cancer progresses, symptoms become more pronounced. Symptoms vary from person to person, but some of the more common symptoms of leukemia are
fever
night sweats
frequent infections
weakness

Treatment

Leukapharesis - Some patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia may develop extremely high white blood cell counts which can interfere with normal blood flow to various organs of the body. Leukapharesis is a procedure used to physically reduce the number of white blood cells in which white blood cells (leukocytes) are removed from the blood and the remainder of the blood is then infused back into the patient.

Though you may be eager to rid your body of cancer if you've been diagnosed with hairy cell leukemia, there's no advantage to early treatment. Unlike some other types of cancer, hairy cell leukemia is quite treatable at all stages, meaning that waiting to treat your cancer won't make remission any less likely.

By: James Sameul

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