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Leukaemia - Leukaemia symptom, treatment, causes

Leukaemia is a malignant neoplasm (canced of the tissues thai produce white blood cells, mainly the bone marrow. Such neoplasms cause excessive production of abnormal forms of either of the two main types of white blood cens: lymphocytes in lymphocytic (lymphaticJ leukaeriIia and granulocytes in myelo cytic (myeloid) leukaemia. It is believed that an leukaemias begin with a malignant change in a single cell, which then multiplies to cause the disease. In most cases no cause can be identifie, but some leukaemias have been associated with viral infections, exposure to radiation or chemicals, and some genetic disorders (such as DOWNSYNDROME) that predispose the sufferer to leukaemia. Each year in Australia there are about 1500 new cases of leukaemia and 700 deaths.

The leukaemias cause illness not only because the abnormal white cells do not function properly, but also because they infiltrate bone marrow and reduce the amount available for the production of red blood cells, platelets and normal white cells. The abnormal cells also infiltrate and disturb the function of other organs and tissues. Both lymphocytic andmyelocytic types of leukaemia may be either acuteor chronic.

Leukaemia is a cancer of the white blood cells. They then pass from the bone marrow into the blood stream and lymph system. White blood cells are the cells that fight infection in the body. Depending on what type of white blood cell is affected, acute leukaemia is called either acute lymphoblastic leukaemia or acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). There are two main types lymphocytic leukaemia (arising from a type of white blood cell called a lymphocyte) and myeloid leukaemia (arising from an immature type of white blood cell called a myeloid stem cell) For example, a lack of red blood cells leads to anaemia, which can result in breathlessness and fatigue. The cancer was to be treated using chemotherapy drugs which kill cancer cells. Acute leukaemia attacks immature bone marrow cells, and has a much more sudden onset. It is the rarer form of leukaemia and tends to afflict children and younger people more often than older people. Leukaemia is the most common cancer in children, causing around one third of childhood cancers, but there are far more cases in adults.

The majority of people have heard of leukaemia and understand that it is a form of cancer affecting the blood . As these leukaemia cells take over, the patient develops symptoms such as excessive bruising and breathlessness. Leukaemia is referred to as either chronic or acute, depending on how rapidly it develops and worsens. It's possible to have chronic leukaemia for months or even years without displaying many symptoms. In leukaemia, some blood cells do not grow properly, but remain within the bone marrow and continue to reproduce in an uncontrolled way. About 7,000 people are diagnosed with leukaemia each year in the UK, representing about three per cent of all cancers. They also live too long, so over a period of time they replace the fully-functioning cells (white, red and platelets ) in the bone marrow. But someone is more likely to develop leukaemia if they are exposed to radiation or to some chemicals like benzene.

Causes of Leukaemia

The common Causes of Leukaemia :

• Smoking.
• Drugs used to treat certain cancers,
• Previous chemotherapy for another cancer .
• Chronic leukaemias are more common over the age of 40.
• Other blood disorders, such as aplastic anaemia, a rare condition where the bone marrow fails to produce blood cells correctly
• Certain genetic conditions, such as Down's syndrome.

Symptoms of Leukaemia

Some Symptoms of Leukaemia :

• Breathlessness.
• Weakness and tiredness
• Loss of appetite.
• Bleeding that takes a long time to stop.
• Weight loss .
• Night sweats and fevers .
• Fever, chills and other flu like symptoms.
• Pain in the joints or bones.

Treatment of Leukaemia

• Treatment for chronic leukaemia can include chemotherapy, steroids, growth factors, radiotherapy, biological therapy (for example, interferon alpha), and intensive treatments.
• Cancer-killing drugs, usually given intravenously, but sometimes given as tablets.
• this procedure may be possible in some cases to cure the cancer. Transplants are complicated procedures. Ideally people should be under the age of 55 to have a transplant from a tissue-compatible donor or under 65 to have a transplant using their own marrow cells.
• A protein normally produced by the body and has anti-cancer effects. It is given as an injection.
• Form of vitamin A used to treat a type of acute myeloid leukaemia. It is usually taken in tablets with chemotherapy.
• All blood cells grow from 'stem cells'. High doses of chemotherapy can damage stem cells, so stem cells are removed from the bone marrow before higher doses of chemotherapy are given. The stem cells are transplanted back after the chemotherapy has finished.

Acute Leukaemia

This is caused by the rapidly progressing malignant growth of the immature forms ,called blast cells, of either type of white cel, Acutelymphocytic leukaemia mainly affects children. Acute myelocytic leukaemia can occur at any age,

Symptoms include those of anaemia, such as paleness tiredness and shortness of breath; excessive bruising and bleeding due to the inadequate numbers of platelets in the blood; increased suscep-tibility to infection; fever for no apparent reason; and often bone and joint pain. The lymph glands and spleen may or may not be enlarged. In acute lymphocytic leukaemia, brain infiltration may cause headaches, vomiting and irritability.

Diagnosis is by blood and bone marrow examination. Modern drug treatment of acute leukaemia brings remission in more than go per cent of patients, and the use of bone marrow transplants has greatly increased long-term survival.

Chronic Leuamia

Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia rarely begins before the age of 50 and becomes more common with increasing age. Men are affected three times more often than women. Symptoms develop very slowly (blood tests for other purposes may reveal the disease) and include fatigue. appetite and weight loss, shortness of breath on exertion, swollen lymph glands, and a sensation of fullness in the left upper abdomen because the spleen has become enlarged.

Treatment is necessary only if symptoms occur or rapidly become worse. Many patients need only periodic blood transfusions, but anti-cancer drugs, radiotherapy and corticosteroid drugs may be required in some cases. Most patients survive more than 10years after diagnosis.