Leukemia
Jacob Georgoulakos and Matthew Lapsley
Definition of Leukemia
Leukemia is a disease in the blood. Leukemia is cancer of the body's blood-forming tissues, including the bone marrow and the lymphatic system.
- Leukemia comes from the greek roots leukos means white and hermia means blood
- The roots are talking about the oddly shaped and operating cells
- It duplicates at an unrestrained and fast pace.
- Many types of leukemia exist. Some types are more common in children and others in adults
Symptoms of Leukemia How it affects people
The symptoms range and affect areas throughout the body. They weaken your body and affect your overall well-being.
- Fever or chills
- Persistent fatigue, weakness
- Frequent or severe infections
- Losing weight without trying
- Swollen lymph nodes, enlarged liver or spleen
- Easy bleeding or bruising
- Recurrent nosebleeds
- Tiny red spots in your skin (petechiae)
- Excessive sweating, especially at night
- Bone pain or tenderness
How prevalent is Leukemia
In 2012, there were an estimated 318,389 people living with leukemia in the United States.
Acute Leukemia
- Irregular blood cells are undeveloped
- Cells don’t function properly and replicate quickly making the problem worse
- Powerful and quick treatment is required
Chronic Leukemia
- Produces too many or not enough cells
- Associated with older cells
- Can lie dormant for years
Lymphocytic Leukemia
- Attacks the lymphoid cells which create the lymphatic tissues that forms the immune system
- Myelogenous leukemia
- Affects the myeloid cells
- Myeloid cells function is to make red blood cells, white blood cells and platelet-producing cells
Other, Rarer Types of Leukemia Exist:
- Hairy cell leukemia
- Myelodysplastic syndromes
- Myeloproliferative disorders
How is Leukemia diagnosed
Physical Exam
- Pale skin branching from anemia
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Enlarged liver or spleen
- These physical signs may suggest that a patient has a form of leukemia.
Blood Test
- Doctors can observe the blood taken in this test and see if you have too many or few blood cells or platelets
- Levels that are above normal may mean you have leukemia
Bone Marrow Test
- A sample is taken out of the hipbone
- Leukemic cells may show signs of leukemia
Figure 4: Blood Test Image (Medical Daily)
Figure 5: Bone Marrow Test Image (Bone Marrow Biopsy)
Video Created By: Sammy Grace
What are the possible causes of Leukemia
- Artificial radiation
- benzene and other petrochemicals
- hair dies
- People with down syndrome have a higher risk
- experts say people with certain chromosomal abnormalities
- Scientist don't know what exactly causes leukemia
What happens at cellular and molecular levels of Leukemia
- When blood cells acquire mutation in their (DNA)
There may be other changes in the cell but not yet have been fully understood could contribute to leukemia.
Treatments and Cures
chemotherapy
bone marrow transplant stem cell transplant
The first phase of treatment is the induction phase design to kill leukemia cells in the blood and bone marrow
The second phase is called consolidation/ intensification phase designed to kill the remaining leukemia cells that may be inactive but could begin growing causing leukemia to recur again
The third phase is called the maintenance phase
treatment continues to kill any remaining leukemia remaining at lower dose
There is no cure for leukemia
Works Cited (Matt)
"Cancer Screening." Medical Daily. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Dec. 2015. <http://www.medicaldaily.com/ovarian-cancer-screening-may-soon-be-conducted-simple-blood-test-331902>.
"Do You Actually Need a Physical Exam?" US News and World Report. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Dec. 2015. <http://health.usnews.com/health-news/articles/2007/09/24/do-you-actually-need-a-physical-exam>.
"11 Facts about Leukemia." Do Something. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Dec. 2015. <https://www.dosomething.org/facts/11-facts-about-leukemia-and-other-blood-cancers>.
Leukemia. N.p.: n.p., n.d. The Gale Encyclopedia of Science, 2014. Web. 16 Dec. 2015. <http://ic.galegroup.com/ic/scic/ReferenceDetailsPage/ReferenceDetailsWindow?failOverType=&query=&windowstate=normal&contentModules=&display-query=&mode=view&displayGroupName=Reference&limiter=&u=amhe95753rpa&currPage=&disableHighlighting=true&displayGroups=&sortBy=&source=&search_within_results=&p=SCIC&action=e&catId=GALE%7C00000000MX5I&activityType=&scanId=&documentId=GALE%7CCV2644031301>.
"Leukemia." Mayo Clinic. N.p., 2015. Web. 16 Dec. 2015. <http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/leukemia/basics/tests-diagnosis/con-20024914>.
"SEER Stat Fact Sheets: Leukemia." National Cancer Institute. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Dec. 2015. <http://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/leuks.html>.
"What Is Bone Marrow." Bone Marrow Biopsy. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Dec. 2015. <https://bonemarrowbiopsy.wordpress.com/what-is-bone-marrow-biopsy/>.
Works Cited (Jacob)
· Hammar, Lawrence. "Leukemia." The Gale Encyclopedia of Science. Ed. K. Lee Lerner and Brenda Wilmoth Lerner. 5th ed. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale, 2014. Science in Context. Web. 16 Dec. 2015.
Oberleitner, Melinda Granger, and L. Lee Culvert. "Leukemias, acute." The Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine. Ed. Jacqueline L. Longe. 5th ed. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale, 2015. Science in Context. Web. 17 Dec. 2015.
URL
Nordqvist, Christian C. "Lymphoma / Leukemia / Myeloma Cancer / Oncology Leukemia: Causes, Symptoms and Treatments." Medical News Today. MediLexicon International, Wednesday Oct. 2015. Web. 17 Dec. 2015.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/142595.php
"Treatment Options." Treatment Options. Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, 2015. Web. 17 Dec. 2015.
http://www.seattlecca.org/diseases/leukemia-children-treatment.cfm
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/leukemia/basics/causes/con-20024914
http://article.wn.com/view/2015/09/02/Could_Common_Diabetes_Drugs_Help_Fight_Leukemia/
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/images/articles/270152-drugs.jpg