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Leukemia is a dreaded form of cancer that develops in the blood forming cells present in bone marrow. The disease is typically characterized by excessive production of white blood cells, which cause overcrowding in the bone marrow and often spilling in to the peripheral blood. This in turn results in decreased production and functioning of the normal blood cells also reducing their ability to fight infections. In certain acute cases leukocytes (white blood cells) become so abundant that the blood gains a whitish tinge. Though initially leukemia develops in the blood cells, there are different types of leukemia that eventually affects body areas such as lymph nodes, spleen, liver, central nervous system and other organs.
Major Types of Leukemia
Depending on the type of cells involved, leukemia is categorized as Myelogenous leukemia and Lymphocytic leukemia. Each has both acute as well as chronic stages. The major types of leukemia are:
- Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML)
- Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL)
- Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (CML)
- Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL)
Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia is increasingly seen among children whereas Acute Myelogenous Leukemia and Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia are more prevalent among adults.
Acute leukemia progresses rapidly mostly among unformed or primitive cells rendering these blood cells incapable of carrying out normal functions. Chronic leukemia on the other hand progresses slower permitting growth of comparatively larger number of developed cells that can function normally.
What causes for Leukemia?
Exact cause for leukemia is yet to be known and rigorous research for the same is underway. However few risk factors have been identified that make individuals more prone to leukemia. Take a look at few such risk factors:
- Exposure to large amounts of radiation
- Frequent contact with certain specific chemicals (such as benzene)
- Certain types of viruses are said to cause few specific leukemia (e.g., T-cell leukemia)
- Leukemia may also be caused by some genetic conditions
- Cigarette smoking is considered as a common risk factor
- Certain types of cancer therapy is said to cause leukemia
Symptoms of Leukemia
Leukemia symptoms often vary depending on the type of leukemia you are affected with. Here is a list of general symptoms of leukemia:
- Frequent Infection, fever, cold, chills (or any other flu-like indications)
- Fatigue
- Malaise (experiencing bodily discomfort)
- Excessive bruising and abnormal bleeding
- Frequent Pain in bones and joints
- Loss of appetite, abdominal pain
- Weight loss
- Tender or swollen lymph nodes, liver, or spleen
- Pain in bone and joints
- Leukemia that spreads to the brain may produce several disorders such as headaches, seizures, weakness, blurred vision, inability to balance, vomiting, etc.
- Shortness of breath, frequent and lengthy coughing, suffocation, etc, could be caused in case of T-cell leukemia (a type of lymphocytic leukemia)
How to diagnose Leukemia?
There are many ways for diagnosing leukemia. If a physician has any reason to suspect leukemia in a patient the disease diagnosis may be as follows:
The physician will ask for medical history and will conduct a through physical examination to check general health status and also check or leukemia symptoms such as swelling in liver, spleen, lymph nodes, groin and in neck. Blood tests are effective ways to diagnose the disease though it does not help to find about the type of leukemia. Full blood count and differential blood count helps to establish the number of different blood cells and also the relative proportion of blood cells within the bloodstream.
A hematologist, oncologist or pathologist can identify the type of leukemia a person has by bone marrow aspiration (drawing patients bone marrow using needle and examining it under a microscope). Subsequently a bone marrow biopsy may be performed. Further other tests such as spinal tap (lumbar puncture), chest x-rays, etc, also help to diagnose the disease.
How to treat Leukemia?
Treatment for leukemia will vary depending on the following factors:
- Type of leukemia and also specific features of the leukemia cells
- Extent of the disease
- Whether disease has been treated before, if so nature of the treatment
- Persons age and general health condition
- Nature of symptoms
Leukemia can be treated in any of the following manner:
- Chemotherapy - helps to kill leukemia cells by using strong anti-cancer drugs
- Interferon therapy - in order to slow the reproduction of leukemia cells and to improve the immune system
- Radiation therapy - high amounts of energy radiation is used to kill cancer cells
- Stem cell transplantation (SCT) - is done in order to enable treatment with high dose of chemotherapy and radiation therapy
- Surgery - is mainly done in two instances, for removal of enlarged spleen or for purpose of installing a venous access device (to withdraw blood samples and to give medicines)
Chances of recovery from leukemia are improving by the day and scientists and medical professionals are on a continuous pursuit to find new and more effective ways to treat this disease.
In most cases treatments help to significantly reduce symptoms of leukemia enabling persons to lead normal life.
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