Leukemia
- Emma S
- Dec 28, 2022
- 2 min read
What is leukemia?
Leukemia is a cancer found in bone marrow and blood. Leukemia develops when the DNA of mainly white blood cells divide uncontrollably. As more cancer cells are produced, they start to overcrowd the blood and prevent healthy blood cells from growing.
What causes leukemia?
The exact cause of leukemia is unknown, however risk factors include family history of leukemia, radiation or chemical exposure, and smoking.
Who does leukemia affect?
Leukemia mostly affects people over the age of 55, however it is also the most common cancer in people under the age of 15. In 2017, there were an estimated 434,982 people living with leukemia in the United States.
Types of leukemia:
The four main types of leukemia are chronic, acute, myelogenous and lymphocytic.
Chronic: Chronic leukemia progresses slowly.
Acute: Acute leukemia progresses faster.
Myelogenous: Myelogenous leukemia affects the bone marrow that produces the blood cells.
Lymphocytic: Lymphocytic leukemia affects the white blood cell.
What are the symptoms of leukemia?
One symptom of leukemia is easy bruising. Poor blood clotting can cause a person to bleed or bruise easily. Another symptom is frequent infections because leukemia usually affects white blood cells, which help fight off infections. Other symptoms include anemia, nausea, fever, and more. There are different symptoms of different types of cancer.
Chronic leukemia: Some symptoms of chronic leukemia include feeling tired, fever and pain on left side below ribs
Acute leukemia: Some symptoms of chronic leukemia are anemia, easy bruising, bone or joint pain and fever.
Diagnosis:
To diagnose leukemia, doctors might do a physical examination. After this your doctor might refer you to a specialist or order tests. If leukemia is suspected, the doctor might suggest a bone marrow test.
Treatment:
Treatment of leukemia will depend on multiple factors, including the type of leukemia, overall health, and age. Types of treatment include:
Chemotherapy: A form of chemical therapy that is meant to destroy rapidly growing cells in the body. However there are many side effects including hair loss, fever and nausea.
Watchful Waiting: Slower growing leukemias might not be actively treated.
Targeted therapy: This treatment uses tyrosine kinase inhibitors that target cancer cells.
Radiation therapy: Radiation therapy uses radiation to kill cancer cells.
Stem Cell transplant: This treatment is more common in younger patients. A team will destroy existing bone marrow and infuse new stem cells into the bone marrow.
How to prevent leukemia?
There is no known way to prevent leukemia, however being a non-smoker and avoiding exposure to pesticides might help reduce your risk of leukemia.
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