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Leukemia

Jack Castonguay

Stevens Henager College

1/23/11
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Leukemia is a disease that affects blood-forming cells in the body. It is a
cancerous condition characterized by an abundance of abnormal white blood cells
in the body. Leukemia begins in the bone marrow and spreads to other parts of
the body. Both children and adults can develop leukemia.

Leukemia can be divided into four different types. It is first classified as

acute or chronic. In chronic Leukemia, the leukemia cells come from mature,
abnormal cells. The cells thrive for too long and accumulate. These type of cells
slowly multiply. Acute Leukemias, on the other hand, develop from early cells,
called ³blasts´, which are young cells that divide frequently. In acute leukemia
counterparts do.

After being classified as acute or chronic, it is then classified by the type of

cells in which the leukemia started form. It can either be myelogenous or
lymphocytic. Myelogenous leukemia develops for myeloid cells. Lymphocytic
leukemia develops cells called ³lymphoblass´ or lymphocytes in the blood marrow.

Researchers have identified several causes and risk factors for leukemia. It
happens in:

› People older than the age of 60, but it occur in younger people
› People who smoke
› People who have undergone previous chemotherapy or radiation
therapy.
› People infected with the human T-cell leukemia virus
› People wit myelodys plastic syndrome.

Leukemia symptoms can occur all of a sudden or gradually. The symptoms

are broad, but there are specific signs of leukemia to keep an eye out for. Fever,
infection, excessive bruising, fatigue, weight loss, and/or weakness.

A doctor may suspect you have leukemia after completing a physical or if you report
experiencing the symptoms of leukemia. There are instances where leukemia is
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suspected from results of blood tests performed for other reasons. There are several
tests a doctor may use to diagnose leukemia, ranging from blood tests to spinal taps.
During a physical exam, a doctor may look for lumps, other abnormalities or symptoms
of leukemia. A thorough medical history will be taken and the patient can report a
history of leukemia or any symptoms or risk factors. Blood tests, such as complete
blood count (CBC) can detect leukemia. A CBC determines the number of red blood
cells, white blood cells and platelets. It also can count the number of red blood cells that
make up the blood sample and the amount of hemoglobin in the blood. Other blood
tests that may be used to diagnose leukemia include:

› peripheral blood smear - determines the presence of blast cells and reveals the type
and quantity of white blood cells
› cytogenic analysis - is a blood test in which a sample of blood is examined to check
for changes in the chromosomes of the lymphocytes
› other various blood tests - other blood tests may be ordered to see how organs are
functioning and if they are being affected by leukemia

Treatment for leukemia varies greatly depending on the type of leukemia

and stage of the disease. Many times, leukemia is treated with one or more types
of treatment. Chemotherapy is the use of drugs that either kill cancer cells or
prevent the cells from dividing. Chemotherapy can be given in a variety of ways,
with IV infusion and pill being more common. The type of chemotherapy given
depends on the stage and type of cancer. Radiation therapy is the use of certain
types of energy to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. This energy can be waves
or particles like protons, electrons, x-rays and gamma rays. Biologic therapy is
treatment that uses the knowledge specific to the cancer to eliminate it.
Substances made by the body or made in a laboratory are used to boost, direct or
restore the body's natural defenses against cancer or to specifically shut down its
division. Surgical removal of the spleen is also a treatment option for chronic
leukemia. The spleen collects leukemia cells, and they accumulate, causing the
spleen to enlarge. An enlarged spleen can cause many complications. A
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hematopoietic transplant is a procedure to replace normal marrow production that
has been destroyed by treatment with high doses of anticancer drugs or radiation.
Transplantation may be autologous (an individual's own stem cells saved before
treatment), allogeneic (stem cells donated by someone else) or syngeneic (stem
cells donated by an identical twin).

Unfortunately, there are no proven leukemia prevention methods. Even more

sadly, most of the risk factors cannot be avoided like in other types of cancer. We
simply cannot avoid aging or having conditions like Down's Syndrome. There are some
risk factors we can avoid that may aid in leukemia risk reduction, like not smoking. If you
smoke cigarettes, now is the time to quit. Smoking puts you at risk for many types of
cancer, including acute myelogenous leukemia. 1 in every 4 cases of AML is linked to
smoking.
Reducing your exposure to benzene may reduce your risk of developing leukemia.
Benzene is a chemical by product of coal and petroleum, used mainly is gasoline. It is
also contained in other things such as paints, solvents, plastics, pesticides and
detergents. People who work in the manufacturing of these products may be putting
themselves at risk for leukemia.
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Reference:

1. http://www.medicinenet.com/leukemia/article.htm
2. http://www.webmd.com/cancer/tc/leukemia-topic-overview
3. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/types/leukemia