What is Leukemia all about?
It is estimated that there will be another 44,270 cases of Leukemia diagnosed and about 21,700 deaths caused by it this year. There was a time when a diagnosis of leukemia was a certain death sentence, and the numbers are improving every year.Leukemias is cancer of the blood and occur when there is an excess accumulation of abnormal blood cells which starts in the blood-forming tissue of the body, like the bone marrow. Large numbers of these blast cells turn into abnormal white blood cell,instead of maturing normally. It is mainly assorted in the critical or the chronic category.The normal functions of white blood cells cannot be carried out. They spill into the blood and may spread into organs such as the liver, spleen, lungs, kidneys and into the cerebro spinal fluid to the brain.
Scientists and researchers are learning more and more as they study its cause. They are also developing better and more effective ways to cure it. People with leukemia look forward to a better quality of life and less chance of dying from it ,because of all the research that has been done and continues to be done. In leukemia, the cells do not mature properly but continue to multiply and the bone marrow is replaced by these abnormal cells spilling over into the blood. Because the bone marrow can no longer produce sufficient normal blood cells and platelets, anemia, infections and bruising occurs.
Still the main reasons that are believed to attribute overall are viral infections,despite the lack of a primary authentic cause for this disease; hereditary factors and several types of chemicals and radiations. Physical mutations and anemia are also the dominant contributors. On visibility they should be dealt with immediately in accordance with the nature of the cancer. Blood tests and white blood cells count are taken for the diagnosis.
The decision for treatment following diagnosis is made in according to the symptoms of the individual patients. Common treatments include induction chemotherapy, bone marrow transplants and several other maintenance treatments that aim at curing the patients.
At present ,several researches including the criteria, causes, diagnosis and treatments are being carried out, in order to find methods for both treatment and the improvement of life.
Tags:
blood cells,
Cancer,
Leukemia
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