Leukemia

Overview

Leukemia is a blood and bone marrow cancer that can be of different types. Leukemia occurs when uncontrolled changes and multiplication begin in the different types of cells in the bone marrow. It can be acute or chronic. It begins with one cell, and eventually grows, crowding out the normal cells in the blood.

Types

There are four categories of leukemia:

• Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML) - Begins with a change in a bone marrow cell caused by the risk factors such as exposure to benzene or radiations. There is a possibility of developing (AML) even without this exposure.

• Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL) - Begins with a change in a bone marrow cell and is the most common type of leukemia in children under 15 years of age. In some cases, children can be treated successfully and cured of ALL.

• Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (CML) - Begins with a change in a stem cell, and is more common in adults than children.

• Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) - Begins with a change in a lymphocyte, a cell found in bone marrow and lymph nodes.

Symptoms

Symptoms of acute leukemia generally include fatigue, shortness of breath, night sweats, paleness of skin or gums, tiny red blood spots under the skin, bruising of skin, mild fever and aching joints and bones.

Chronic leukemia may be asymptomatic for a long period as the disease progresses slowly. Enlarged lymph nodes that prompt a doctor visit are the first sign. Tiredness, shortness of breath, pain on left side of the lower abdomen caused by an enlarged spleen, may occur. Unexplained weight loss and night sweats are commonly associated with the onset of the disease. Mostly chronic forms of leukemia are detected in the blood tests done for some other health disorders.

Causes/Risk Factors

There are many risk factors for this disease. People born with Down Syndrome or other genetic diseases have a higher risk of developing leukemia. Exposure to secondhand smoke, benzene, natural and artificial ionizing radiations may be responsible. In some cases, chemotherapy used to fight cancer may cause cellular mutation that leads to leukemia.

Tests/Diagnosis

A CBC, or complete blood count, test indicates the presence of leukemia. To determine the variety of leukemia, bone marrow can be extracted and tested to confirm the type of cells affected.

Treatment

Treatment varies depending on the type of leukemia and the subset of the disease within that type. A patient's age and general health is an important factor in deciding the possible treatment. For the acute forms of leukemia, chemotherapy is started immediately to kill as many leukemia cells as possible and repeated as and when required. Patients with chronic forms of the disease usually take medications to control the symptoms. In some cases, a bone marrow transplant can be useful.