Leukaemia

What is leukaemia?

The bone marrow starts to produce unhealthy white blood cells (leukaemia cells) that do not perform the function of normal white blood cells and grow at a faster rate. This leads to the abnormal cells outnumbering the normal blood cells and prohibiting normal functions carried out by them, such as fighting infections, production of red blood cells to carry oxygen to the body and production of platelets that assist in blood clotting. Instead, the abnormal cells cause problems such as anaemia, bleeding and infections.

Leukaemia cells can also spread to the lymph nodes or organs which results in swelling and pain.

Different types of leukaemia

Leukaemia is characterised by the kind of white blood cells that it affects and by how fast it multiplies. Therefore it can be chronic or acute, and myelogenous or lymphocytic. Acute cases require urgent treatment as they develop quickly, while chronic cases need less urgent treatment and usually need to be managed long term.

The four main types are:

• • Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, or ALL

• • Acute myelogenous leukaemia, or AML

• • Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, or CLL

• • Chronic myelogenous leukaemia, or CML.

Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) and acute myelogenous leukaemia (AML) are the most common type of leukaemia in adults, while lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) is the most common type of leukaemia in children.

Causes

The exact cause of leukaemia is unknown. However, there are certain factors that increase the risk of developing leukaemia:

• • Exposure to significant amounts of radiation

• • Exposure to certain chemicals, e.g. benzene

• • Undergoing some types of chemotherapy

• • Having Down syndrome or certain types of other hereditary risk factors

• • Smoking

• • Human t-cell leukaemia virus.

Symptoms

Symptoms vary depending on the type of leukaemia, but common symptoms include:

• • Fever and night sweats

• • Headaches

• • Bruising or bleeding easily

• • Pain in the bones and joints

• • A swollen or painful belly from an enlarged spleen

• • Swollen lymph nodes in the armpit, neck or groin

• • Getting infections easily

• • Fatigue

• • Weight loss and loss of appetite.

Treatment

Once leukaemia is diagnosed it needs to be intensively treated immediately. Treatment depends on the type of leukaemia and can include chemotherapy, radiotherapy, immuno-therapies, bone marrow transplants and oral medication.

Acute forms of leukaemia can be cured but not chronic forms, although this form of leukaemia can be effectively kept under control by ongoing treatment. Treatment for acute forms in adults typically lasts about eight months, and two to three years for children. Children stand a better chance of being permanently cured than adults.

There are various support networks available to offer assistance for people with leukaemia and their loved ones.

 

Sources
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leukemia
http://www.leukaemia.org.au/fileadmin/dl-docs/factsheets4/FACTSHEET-Leukaemia.pdf
http://www.medicinenet.com/leukemia/article.htm
http://www.webmd.com/cancer/tc/leukemia-topic-overview