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Patients and Their Family Need to Embrace Everything About LeukemiaBY: Ritu Choudhary | Category: Leukemia | Submitted: 2010-07-03 18:48:49
Frequency of illness Acute leukemia affects about 5,000 people each year in about each country in Europe, particularly children and the elderly. The causes are largely unknown. Only chemical and radiological tools have been found to be effective in treatment of leukemia like chemotherapy. There is no inheritance in these diseases, they are not contagious. What are the symptoms of acute leukemia White blood cells are derived from stem cells in bone marrow. These cells "mature" and divide this site before being released into the blood. In leukemia, a disorder occurs at the level of DNA and proteins in these cells that prevents them from maturing and causing them to divide without stopping. The cell division becomes so intense that they are released into the blood. These cells are called leucoplasts. These blasts are young cells unable to perform their immune function. They are so numerous in numbers that they invade other organs and preventing the marrow to produce enough red blood cells and platelets. This results in three serious consequences: (1) Very-high susceptibility to infection, fever, mouth ulcers, pneumonia, (2) risk of bleeding: bleeding, bruising, petechiae (small red spots on the skin) and (3) anemia, weakness, shortness of breath, fatigue, dizziness. It must be noted that these symptoms are not specific to leukemia. How is the diagnosis Leukemia is often detected during a blood test. The WBC may be high or low, anemia and decreased platelet count is often associated. The problem is, these symptoms are prevalent in other cases as leukemia. Once the tests are done blasts of blood is found under the microscope confirming the disease. The final diagnosis is made on the myelogram. The study of bone marrow under a microscope after removal of a sample of bone marrow through a needle placed in the bone, in this case the sternum or iliac bone. This examination confirms the diagnosis by the presence of blasts in large numbers in the spinal Acute Leukemia or Chronic Leukemia? It must first know that there are acute leukemia and chronic leukemias. These mostly occur in the elderly, they are not fatal in the short term but difficult to treat and cure. Acute leukemia may not cause huge problem for patients immediately but the potential treatment and remission are greater than for chronic leukemia. Leukemia is divided mainly into two categories: (1) Lymphoblastic: lymph oblasts are young cells that normally should produce white blood cells called lymphocytes. This is the most common form in children. (2) Myeloblastis: myeloblasts are young cells that normally should give white blood cells called granulocytes. This form is divided into seven categories. Treatment of Leukemia It is mainly treatable by chemotherapy in multiple courses, each of which may last more than a month in hospital. Chemotherapy: the goal of chemo is to clean the bone marrow cells of all patients. The blasts once administered, chemotherapy kills all cells in the marrow. Unfortunately it also kills normal cells and cells that produce red blood cells and also those who produce platelets. The patient then enters the phase known as aplasia. It is not immune. During this period, the patient is fragile against infections, and may bleed. For this reason, a platelet transfusion and red cell infusion is necessary. It takes at least three weeks for the good white cells to reappear. This is the end of aplasia, if normal, we can say that the patient is in complete remission stage. Several treatments are necessary in hope to eradicate this disease. Treatment lasts about six months with several trips between home and hospital. Prognosis and results Currently the medical advances can cure only certain leukemia. The prognosis depends greatly on the age. In children it is around 70-80% curable and in adults 70% remission is possible. The regular appearance of new drugs gives hope to find effective cures for leukemia. Article Source: http://www.cancer-surgery.com/ About Author / Additional Info: I am not a cancer doctor. Always consult your doctor before taking any action or conclusion regarding your medical condition. Comments on this article: (0 comments so far)
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