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It affects the digestive tract, lungs, Kidneys or other parts of the body and can also collect in the testicles causing edema and swelling. It is one of the most common cancers of children, although it isn't just a children's disease, as many people think.
It is newly diagnosed in about 29,000 adults and 2000 children every year in the US and has four primary types plus many sub-types of which only some of them are common in children.
Leukemia that has spread to the brain can produce central nervous system disorders, including headaches, weakness, blurred or distorted vision, seizures, balance difficulties, or vomiting and the drugs used to treat it, can cause anemia.
ACUTE LEUKEMIA: In its acute form it is characterized by the rapid increase of immature blood cells, but is potentially curable; However only a small number of patients are cured using todays therapy. It begins with one or a few white blood cells that have a lost or damaged DNA sequence and becomes worse quickly and may make you feel sick right away.
Leukemia tends to develop suddenly, however some chronic varieties may exist for years before they are even diagnosed. Immediate treatment is required due to the rapid growth and accumulation of the malignant cells, which then spill over into the blood stream and spread to other organs.
Although acute leukemia must be treated immediately, chronic forms of the disease are sometimes monitored for some time before any treatment is begun to ensure maximum effectiveness of therapy.
CHRONIC LEUKEMIA: Chronic leukemia is recognized by an excessive build up of relatively mature, but abnormal blood cells and can go undetected for many years until identified in a routine blood test. It is more common between the ages of 40 to 70 and rarely occurs among younger people.
It tends to gets worse slowly and may not produce symptoms for years. Like many cancers, it is a disease that usually occurs in old age. Doctors often find chronic leukemia during a regular checkup, before there are any noticeable symptoms. In grownups, the acute forms occur in those of all ages, whereas the chronic forms tend to occur in people over 40 years. Although slow-growing chronic leukemia can also be seen in children, although it is very rare, accounting for less than 50 cases in children each year in the US.
TREATMENT: Treatment of leukemia is complex and it depends on your age and health, the type and how far it has spread. Treatment is generally considered necessary when the patient shows signs and symptoms such as low blood cell counts. In general, ALL treatment is divided into several phases. In children, an intensive 6-month treatment program is needed after induction, followed by 2 years of maintenance chemotherapy.
For children with low-risk, standard therapy usually consists of three drugs (prednisone, L-asparaginase, and vincristine) for the first month of treatment. High-risk patients receive higher drug doses plus treatment with extra chemotherapeutic agents. Follow-up therapy for ALL patients usually consists of: supportive care, such as intravenous nutrition and treatment with oral antibiotics.
In general, the indications for treatment are: falling hemoglobin or platelet count, progression to a later stage of disease, painful, disease-related overgrowth of lymph nodes or spleen, lymphocyte doubling time (an indicator of lymphocyte reproduction) of fewer than 12 months. Overall, the strategy is to control bone marrow and systemic (whole-body) disease while offering specific treatment for the central nervous system (CNS), if necessary. Consolidation or "maintenance" treatments may be given to prevent disease recurrence once remission has been achieved. Whatever the plan, it is important for the patient to understand the treatment that is being given and the reasons behind the choice.
CONCLUSION: Leukemia is a cancer of blood-forming cells in the bone marrow. These cells crowd out other types of blood cells produced by the bone marrow, including red blood cells, which carry oxygen to tissues throughout your body, and platelets, which help form blood clots.
Leukemia cells can spread to the lymph nodes and various other organs causing swelling and or pain and can also accumulate in the kidney, liver and spleen, causing enlargement of these organs. These cells also can affect the lungs and other parts of the body. Acute forms can occur in both children and young adults. Chronic forms usually occurs in older people, but can theoretically occur in any age group.
To date there is no single known cause for all of the different types of leukemia. Studies have linked exposure to chemicals, such as benzene, and hair dyes to the development of some forms of the disease. Viruses have been linked to other forms. Until the cause or causes are discovered, there is no known way to prevent the occurrence of Leukemia. As of 1998, it is estimated that each year, approximately 30,800 individuals will be diagnosed with Leukemia in the United States and 21,700 persons will die of the disease.
Article Source: http://www.articlemotron.com
INTRODUCTION: Leukemia or leukaemia meaning white blood (Greek leukos, white; aima, blood) is a cancer of the blood or bone marrow and is characterized by an abnormal growth of blood cells, usually white blood cells (leukocytes)and is split into its acute and chronic forms.
Richard H. Ealom is an expert ezinearticles.com author with more than 50 articles on The causes and potential cures for diseases and author of this article. To learn more about Cancer please visit "Cancer Breakthrough USA!"
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