Leukemia
What is Leukemia
Leukemia is a type of cancer that disturbs the blood and bone marrow (marrow is the soft spongy stuff inside human’s bones.) It is caused when white and red blood cells grow out of control.
There are also four major types of leukemia; Acute myeloid leukemia, Acute lymphoblastic leukemia,Chronic myeloid leukemia, and chronic lymphocytic leukemia. There are also three rarer types of leukemia; Hairy cell leukemia, Chronic myelomonocytic leukemia, and Juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia. The type of leukemia is named after the cell it affects.What might cause Leukemia
There are a lot of things doctors and scientists think might cause leukemia. Hair dyes, maternal fetal transmission( When a mother is pregnant and passes it to her child), Chemotherapy, and Viruses ( human T-lymphotropic, and HIV( Human Immunodeficiency virus)). People with down Syndrome also have a higher chance of getting leukemia. Some leukemia is also passed through generations of families.
Unlike normal blood cells leukemia cells don’t die so they may crowd out good blood cells and this can greatly affect the way leukemia spreads. Leukemia cells also divide themselves forming more and more leukemia cells, which can crowd out the good blood cells. The cells also can spread to the Brain and spleen.Symptoms
Diagnosis
Early diagnosis is important because the sooner you get treatment you have a better chance of controlling leukemia. Leukemia depends on the number of abnormal white blood cells in the body and where they are found.
In early stages of leukemia it can be hard to diagnose because it looks like other illnesses. Diagnosing takes several steps, first doctors look at the person’s medical history. Then they do a physical exam, they also do blood tests which is important since leukemia starts in the blood.Leukemia can only be diagnosed after medical tests.
A lot of people are diagnosed with leukemia about 48,610 per year in the whole world.Treatment
Treatment differs depending on the person’s age, health, and type of leukemia they have. For the most effective treatment patients should visit a trained doctor. The most common treatments are Chemotherapy, and radiation ( radiation does not cause a person to be radioactive). Surgery is not usually an option because leukemia is a cancer in the blood and it is all over. Another cure is bone marrow transplant where doctors remove unhealthy marrow and replace it with healthy marrow.
Eating well is important since you need the right amount of calories or you will lose weight. Leukemia cells can often spread to the brain and spleen.
Checkups are very important because leukemia can come back. After treatment many people go on to live many years.Works Cited
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/142595.php
Peacock J. Chapter 4: Treatment for Leukemia. Leukemia (0-7368-0282-7) [serial online]. January 2000;:26. Available from: Book Collection Nonfiction: Middle School Edition, Ipswich, MA. Accessed February 14, 2014.
Peacock J. Chapter 3: Diagnosing Leukemia. Leukemia (0-7368-0282-7) [serial online]. January 2000;:18. Available from: Book Collection Nonfiction: Middle School Edition, Ipswich, MA. Accessed February 17, 2014
http://www.mdanderson.org/patient-and-cancer-information/cancer-information/cancer-types/leukemia/