Leukenia (cause, symptoms and treatment)

Leukemia or Leukeamia is a type of cancer, caused by abnormality of blood cell which produces large amount of abnormal blood cell and disrupt the production of normal blood cell, results in decrease in the amount of the normal blood cell.

Symptoms

 The number of embryonic white blood cells will increase as the mitosis process keeps going which will affect the organs that produce different types of blood cells, including the amount of platelets to be reduced (platelets play an important roles in blood clotting process). As a result, the patient may develop bruised marks, excessive bleed, and red spots on the skin (petechiae).

In addition,  as the number of normal white blood cell in the patient decreases, they will get infected more easier than normal people. In similar, as the number of red blood cells has decreased, some symptoms of different diseases could be spotted such as anemia that can cause difficulties in breathing.

Besides, there may also be other symptoms such as fever, chills, weight loss, fatigue, headache. When cancer cells spread to the liver and spleen, It will make the liver and spleen grow,as well as it could cause pain when it spread to the bone and joint.

Type of Leukemia

Leukemia is classified into 2 types: acute type and chronic type

•              Acute leukemia is caused by the rapid proliferation of embryonic blood cells, prohibiting bone marrow to produce normal blood cells. It usually occurs in children and may cause death within months without receiving immediate treatment.

•              Chronic leukemia (chronic leukemia) is caused by the execcessive production of abnormal blood cells. With large amount of abnormal blood cells in the body. Typically, acute leukemia often happens in adults at various ages.

Morover, leukemia can be classified based on white blood cell charactheistics which are lymphoid and myeloid.

•              Lymphocytic leukemia occurs when large amount of abnormal lymphoid cells, including lymphocytes and plasma cells are found in the bloodstream.

•              Myelogenous leukemia is an abnormal increase in myeloid cells, including eosinophils, neutrophils, and basophils, in the bloodstream.

Threfore, the leukemia can be categorized into 4 types which are:

•              Acute lymphocytic leukemia (Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia or ALL) can be found in children under 10 years old and in over 65 years adults.

•              Acute myelogenous leukemia (Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) or acute nonlymphocytic leukemia) is more common in adults than children while

•              Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is common found in adults over 55 years old and can be seen in some children with slight impact.

•              Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) is found in adults with a rare chance in children.

In summary, AML and CLL leukemia can be found in adults, whereas ALL leukemia can be found in children.

Cause

The leukemia is mostly caused by abnormal genetic information which leads to abnormal cell division and results in continuous multiplication of cancer cells amount. Therefore, we can summarize the causes of leukemia as follows.

•              carcinogen

•              Ionizing radiation

•              Chromosomal aberration

•              some viruses

Medical laboratory examination

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Treatment

Treatment is varied based on leukemia type in each patient. The principle of treatment is to control the disease in the first phase (remission), the prevent it from recurrence (relapse). Many patients can be cured.

Method of treatment

Chemotherapy can be given either by injection or by ingestion. Some cancers may need to be given through the spinal cord. Radiotherapy can be given in two cases: radiation to the area where the cancer is taken place, such as the spleen and testes, or to the whole body to prepare for bone marrow transplantation. Bone marrow transplantation is done by giving high-dose chemotherapy together with radiation to destroy cells, after new bone marrow is injected. Patients need to stay in the hospital until their production of blood cell return to normal function.

Immunization biological therapy by using interferon against certain types of cancer cells.

Other necessary treatments

Receiving treatment of blood cancer has many complications, some treatments are simultaneously required. As patients are susceptible to infection, they should avoid crowded places, especially during outbreaks. If the infection is severe, antibiotic therapy will be applied.

Anemia is a common and high impact complication. In case of high severity, it may cause the patient to become tired easily. Transfusions should be done for those whose skin get pale. Patients should have an oral examination prior to treatment.

Treatment side effects

Theoretically, chemotherapy is to destroy the rapidly dividing cells to prevent them from rapid spreading. This method is destructive to the cancer cell as great as normal cell. Therefore, as a result of normal cell destruction, several side effects can be experienced e.g., Nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, hair loss, infertility.

For bone marrow transplantation patients, there is a chance of infection from abnormal bleeding

Reference - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/