Leukemia is cancer of the parts of the body that make blood, like the bone marrow and lymphatic system, watch out for the symptoms in the course of reading this article.
There are many kinds of leukemia. Children are more likely to get some types of leukemia than adults. Most adults get other kinds of leukemia.
Most of the time, leukemia affects the white blood cells. Your white blood cells are very good at fighting off infections. They grow and divide in a normal way, as your body needs them. But in people with leukemia, the bone marrow makes too many white blood cells that aren’t normal and don’t work right.
Leukemia: causes , symptoms and solutions
Leukemia can be hard to treat, depending on the type of cancer and other factors. But there are things you can do and places you can go that can help your treatment work.
Symptoms of leukemia depend on what kind of leukemia a person has. Some common signs and symptoms of leukemia are:
Chills or fever
Constant tiredness and weakness
infections that happen often or are bad
Not trying to lose weight
swollen lymph nodes, a big liver or spleen, or both
Easy bleeding or bruising
nosebleeds all the time
Your skin has tiny red spots (petechiae)
Having too much sweat, especially at night
Bone pain or tenderness
When to go to the doctor
Make an appointment with your doctor if you have signs or symptoms that keep coming back and are making you worry.
Symptoms of leukemia are often vague and hard to describe. Early signs of leukemia may be hard to notice because they are similar to signs of the flu and other common illnesses.
Sometimes leukemia is found when blood tests are done for something else.
CAUSES:
Scientists don’t know what makes leukemia happen. It seems to come about because of both genetics and the environment.
HOW LEUKEMIA FORMS
In general, it is thought that leukemia happens when some blood cells get changes (mutations) in their DNA. The instructions for what a cell should do are written in its DNA. Usually, the cell’s DNA tells it how fast to grow and when to die. Mutations cause leukemia by telling the blood cells to keep growing and dividing.
WHAT KINDS OF LEUKEMIA THERE ARE
Doctors put leukemia into different groups based on how quickly it spreads and what kinds of cells are affected.
The first way to divide leukemia is by how quickly it spreads:
Acute leukemia.
Immature blood cells are what are wrong with the blood in acute leukemia (blasts). They can’t do what they should, and they keep making more of themselves, so the disease gets worse quickly. Acute leukemia needs to be treated quickly and aggressively.
Chronic leukemia.
There are many different kinds of long-term leukemia. Some make too many cells, while others cause too few to be made. Blood cells that are older are involved in chronic leukemia. These blood cells divide or build up more slowly, but they can still work normally for a while. Some types of chronic leukemia don’t show any early signs at first, so they can go unnoticed or undiagnosed for years.
The second way to categorize is by the type of white blood cell that is affected:
Lymphocytic leukemia. This type of leukemia affects lymphoid cells, which are made up of lymphocytes and make up lymphoid tissue. Lymphatic tissue makes up your immune system.
Myelogenous leukemia. The myeloid cells are hurt by this type of leukemia. Red blood cells, white blood cells, and cells that make platelets come from myeloid cells.
TYPES OF LEUKEMIA
These are the main types of leukemia:
Acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL): This is the type of leukemia that most young children have. ALL can also happen to grown-ups.
Acute myelogenous leukemia (AML): AML is a type of leukemia that is common. Both kids and adults can get it. Adults most often get AML, which is a type of acute leukemia.
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL): CLL is the most common type of long-term leukemia in adults. If you have it, you may feel fine for years without needing treatment.
Myelogenous chronic leukemia (CML): Most people with this type of leukemia are adults. Before the leukemia cells grow faster, a person with CML may have few or no symptoms for months or even years.
Different kinds. There are also other, less common kinds of leukemia, such as hairy cell leukemia, myelodysplastic syndromes, and myeloproliferative disorders.
RISK FACTORS
Some types of leukemia may be more likely to happen to you if you have:
treatment for cancer in the past. Some types of leukemia are more likely to happen to people who have had certain types of chemotherapy and radiation therapy for other types of cancer.
Genetic disorders. Leukemia seems to be caused in part by problems with the genes. Leukemia is more likely to happen in people with certain genetic disorders, like Down syndrome.
Being around some chemicals. Some types of leukemia are more likely to happen if you are exposed to certain chemicals, like benzene, which is in gasoline and used in the chemical industry.
Smoking. Acute myelogenous leukemia is more likely to happen if you smoke cigarettes.
Leukemia runs in the family. If other people in your family have had leukemia, your chance of getting it may be higher.
CONCLUSION
Most people who are known to be at risk for leukemia don’t get it. Many people with leukemia don’t have any of these warning signs.