Leukemia
You may be surprised to find that leukemia isnt just one type of cancer but actually a category of multiple cancers that affect our blood cells. Both children and adults can be diagnosed with these cancers, which cause our bone marrow to produce abnormal white blood cells.
These abnormal cells, called leukemic cells, can accumulate in the bone marrow and blood, crowding out any healthy white blood cells. The white blood cells exist to fight infection and disease. The leukemic cells also harm our platelets, which protects us from bleeding out, and the red blood cells that carry oxygen throughout our bodies.
Leukemia can progress either rapidly (acutely) or slowly (chronically). Depending on its progression and the type of cell it affects, a leukemia diagnosis can fall into four broad categories. Regardless of the type, infection, anemia and bleeding are common effects of this cancer.
Recently Answered
- Q How do medications treat chronic lymphocytic leukemia?
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In addition to chemotherapy, chronic lymphocytic leukemia can also be treated with targeted drug therapy. The treatment gets its name from the fact that the drugs specifically target parts of the leukemia cells, namely certain proteins, to destroy the... Full Answer
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- Q What are the treatment options for chronic lymphocytic leukemia?
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Treatment is often not necessary for early stages of the disease; later stages are treated primarily with chemotherapy and other drugs. In early stages of CLL, before symptoms begin to appear, doctors may well recommend holding off on treatment, since... Full Answer
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- Q What are the symptoms of chronic lymphocytic leukemia?
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Symptoms include painless swelling of lymph nodes and a feeling of tiredness; it is, however, not unusual for chronic lymphocytic leukemia to show no symptoms at all. Other symptoms may include fever and night sweats, weight loss, and a feeling of... Full Answer
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- Q What causes chronic lymphocytic leukemia?
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Chronic lymphocytic leukemia begins when cells in the bone marrow malfunction and interrupt normal production of blood cells. The precise cause of this malfunction is unknown, but certain risk factors have been identified. The malfunctioning cells... Full Answer
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- Q What are complications of leukemia?
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Fatigue: Leukemia can cause individuals to have too few red blood cells, resulting in anemia. Anemia can make the individual feel tired by decreasing the number of red blood cells that can carry oxygen to tissues. Treatment for leukemia, such as with... Full Answer
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- Q What are my chances of surviving leukemia?
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Dr. Patrick Maguire, OncologyAccording to the National Cancer Institute's (NCI's) Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) Cancer statistics, the survival rate five years following diagnosis, relative to the general population, for all adult patients with leukemia... Full Answer
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- Q How many people get leukemia in the US?
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Dr. Patrick Maguire, OncologyAn estimated 43,000 patients are diagnosed with leukemia in the United States each year, and 22,000 patients will die of their disease. While the median age of diagnosis is 64, the disease strikes children as well as the elderly and may occur at... Full Answer
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- Q Is leukemia more common among men than women?
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Of all diagnosed leukemia cases, men are the clear majority. Leukemia is the fifth leading cause of cancer-related death among men; among women it is the seventh. Nearly three-fifths of all leukemia cases are diagnosed in men. Full Answer
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- Q What is the rate of incidence for leukemia?
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Because it covers a variety of related diseases, leukemia incidence varies widely by age. With an incidence rate of 27.1 percent, leukemia is the most common form of cancer among children and adolescents. Among people 50 and older, myeloid leukemia, both... Full Answer
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- Q Are there different types of acute lymphoblastic leukemia?
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Dr. Louise Sivak, PediatricsHello, yes, there are several different sub-types based on the stage of development of the leukemia cells themselves. These sub-types are identified by analysis of the leukemia cells in the bone marrow using a combination of microscopic analysis, flow... Full Answer
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