Leukemia – Explanation and How to Prevention
Blood cancer is a disease of the blood cancer and is not foreign in your ear. But do you know what and how the blood cancer?
Before we talk more about blood cancer, it helps us know the first bone marrow for leukemia was originally sourced from there.
Bone marrow is the soft tissue that exist in every bone. In this bone marrow blood cells are made. Blood cells in the bone marrow factory is as follows:
White blood cells, its duty to protect the body from infection.
Red blood cells carry oxygen to all its organs.
Platelets, duties to support the process of blood clotting.
In normal people, all of these functions run as it should, but not in patients with leukemia. Bone marrow produces abnormal white blood cells in large numbers. These cells became known as leukemia cells. Unlike the white blood cells generally, the leukemia cells grow very fast even they were able to grow endlessly.
Unfortunately, the tremendous growth of leukemia cells are capable of pressing the normal blood cells. So munculah health problems such as anemia, bleeding and infection. Leukemia cells also spread to the lymph nodes and other organs causing swelling and pain.
There are several types of leukemia, what is the difference in each type?
There are various types of leukemia, but in general, leukemia is distinguished by how fast the leukemia could make worse the patient’s condition and type of white blood cell involved.
Acute and chronic. Acute leukemia, deterioration occurs very rapidly and the patient can feel the complaint was also contrary worsening chronic leukemia occurs very slowly and the patient does not feel any complaints in recent years.
Limpositik and myelogenus. Lymphocytic leukemia or limfoblastik involving white blood cells lymphocytes while leukemia myelogenus myelosit involving white blood cells.
Well, from the above, then made four main types of leukemia are:
Acute lymphoblastic leukemia, leukemia is more common in children but even adults could be suffering.
Acute myelogenous leukemia, the leukemia that can attack children and adults.
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia, leukemia is more common in adults, usually aged over 50 years. Children rarely are suffering.
Chronic myelogenous leukemia, a common leukemia in adults.
Then the question arises, what is the cause of leukemia is it?
The experts has yet to confirm the cause of leukemia, but there are some things which is suspected as a risk factor for leukemia. This, among other things:
Exposed to radiation in large numbers.
Exposure to chemicals such as benzene in the workplace.
Others are undergoing cancer chemotherapy.
Suffering from Down syndrome or other genetic problems.
Smoking.
However, there are many people who have risk factors as above but do not suffer from leukemia and vice versa.
Well, now that any kind of symptoms of leukemia?
Terggantung leukemia symptoms suffered by the type of leukemia, but common symptoms include:
Fever and night sweats.
Headache.
Easy bruising and bleeding.
Painful joints and bones.
Swelling and pain in the abdomen due to enlargement of lymph.
Swollen lymph nodes in the armpit, neck and groin.
Often exposed to infection.
Feeling weak and lethargic.
Weight loss as well as appetite.
How is leukemia diagnosed?
To find out if you suffer from leukemia or not, the doctor will:
Inquire about the symptoms that you feel including a history of symptoms.
Perform a physical examination.
Conducting blood tests.
If found abnormalities in blood tests will be followed by bone marrow biopsy. This examination allows a doctor to see that there are cells in the bone marrow. The primary key information about the leukemia is here including the necessary modes of treatment.
How the hell do I treat leukemia?
Treatment of leukemia depends on many things including the type of leukemia you have suffered, how long suffered and the age and general health conditions.
In acute leukemia, treatment done quickly to stop the growth of leukemia cells is also fast. In some cases, leukemia may experience a remission. Some doctors prefer the term remission rather than cured because there is a chance the cancer will reappear.
In chronic lymphocytic leukemia, treatment will not be made until symptoms appear. But on myelogenus chronic leukemia, treatment can be done immediately. Chronic leukemia can seldom be cured, treatment is only done to control the disease.