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Leukemia Information

Leukemia is Cancer of the blood cells. It begins in the bone marrow when abnormal cells multiply out of control to such an extent that normal blood cells are unable to develop. Leukemia starts in the bone marrow—the soft, spongy material inside bones where blood cells develop from stem cells.

Leukemia most often affects the white blood cells, which protect the body against infection. The Disease begins when normal development of stem cells into white blood cells goes wrong, creating abnormal white blood cells. Eventually the abnormal white cells overtake other types of blood cells, including red blood cells, which carry oxygen to the body tissues; and platelets, which enable the blood to clot. Leukemia therefore interferes with the blood’s ability to clot and carry oxygen.

The abnormal white cells may also spread to other parts of the body, including the lymph nodes, skin, spleen, liver, brain, and spinal cord.
Leukemia is not one disease but a complex group of diseases. There are four main types of leukemia: acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), acute myeloid (or myelogenous) leukemia (AML), chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), and chronic myeloid leukemia (CML).

Causes
The cause of leukemia is unknown. At present, no one knows what causes leukemia. However, scientists have discovered some risk factors that increase a person’s chance of getting the disease. These may include excess exposure to radiation, or prior treatment for a malignancy, or having had a previous blood disorder. However, most people who develop leukemia do not have any of these risk factors.
CLL is rare in China and Japan, and remains rare among Japanese people who move to the U.S. This suggests that genetic factors play some role in the development of CLL and the Japanese use of Alternative Medicine instead of chemicals my further reduce it’s chances.

Symptoms
The symptoms of leukemia, such as frequent infections and easy bruising and bleeding, result from the blood cells’ inability to perform their normal functions. However, at the time of diagnosis of either CLL or CML, patients may have no symptoms. People with leukemia get infections because their white blood cells do not protect them from disease. They become anemic because of a shortage of healthy red blood cells. They bleed and bruise easily because they lack enough platelets to enable their blood to clot.

Other symptoms depend on which parts of the body the leukemia cells invade. In acute leukemia, cells often collect in the brain and spinal cord, causing headaches, confusion, vomiting, loss of muscle control, and seizures. Some people develop sores on the skin or in the eyes. In both chronic and acute leukemia, various organs may be affected, including the skin, central nervous system, digestive tract, testicles, and kidneys.

Diagnosis
To diagnose leukemia, the doctor will first perform a physical exam. Your doctor will ask about your medical history; particularly whether you have any of the general symptoms listed above. In the physical examination, the doctor will feel for swelling of the liver, the spleen, and the lymph nodes in the groin, neck, and underarms. You will also be examined for abnormal bleeding.

The doctor will then order laboratory and other tests to detect whether you have leukemia, and find out what type it is. Depending on whether you have acute or chronic leukemia, your doctor may conduct one or several tests. If diagnosed, the news can be traumatic and can lead to Depression at the thought of such a traumatic event, however you need to keep positive and concentrate on better health.