What is Leukemia? Everything You Should Know – Apollo Hospitals

What is Leukemia? Everything You Should Know – Apollo Hospitals

Leukemia is a blood cancer that occurs in the blood-producing tissues called bone marrow. Leukemia causes mutation in the cells of the bone marrow, causing abnormal development and function of the blood cells formed from these tissues.

Leukemia cells often act abnormally, leading to a rise in the total number of abnormal white blood cells or leukocytes in the body. The normal white blood cells in the body are responsible for fighting off harmful pathogens. In a person with leukemia, the abnormal white blood cells (leukocytes) crowd out healthy white blood cells along with the red blood cells and the platelets. These leukocytes don’t function properly, thus leading to the weakening of the body’s immune response.

There are many types of leukemia; some forms are more common in children, while others are common in adults. The leukemia treatment depends on its type and other associated factors.

Symptoms of Leukemia

The leukemia or blood cancer symptoms may vary depending on the type of leukemia. For example, in the case of chronic leukemia, there may not be any noticeable symptoms in its early stages.

Common leukemia or blood cancer symptoms may include:

• Fever and/or chills or night sweats
• Persistent fatigue or weakness
• Bruising or bleeding easily
• Recurrent nosebleeds
• Pain in the joints or bones
• Severe infections
• Infections that keep coming back
• Shortness of breath
• Paleness of the skin
• Unexplained weight loss
• Swollen lymph nodes in the groin, neck, underarms, or stomach
• Enlarged liver or spleen
• Pain or full feeling under the ribs on the left side
• Tiny red spots in your skin (petechiae)

Types of Leukemia

Leukemia is typically categorized based on how fast it can develop and the type of blood cell affected. In general, there are 4 types of leukemia:

• Acute lymphocytic leukemia: This is the most commonly occurring leukemia in children, but it can also occur in adults.
• Acute myelogenous leukemia: It is the most common type of leukemia (blood cancer) in adults, especially in older adults. But it may also occur in children.
• Chronic lymphocytic leukemia: This is another common leukemia found in adults, which may not cause any symptoms or problems for a long time. Sometimes, people may need treatment when the body isn’t able to produce normal blood cells.
• Chronic myelogenous leukemia: This leukemia is more commonly diagnosed in older adults over the age of 65 but can affect younger adults, too. It might not affect children. Symptoms may rarely appear, and this type of leukemia may be diagnosed only during routine blood tests.

Causes of Leukemia

The exact causes of leukemia are not known. However, it usually begins due to mutation in a single cell in the bone marrow. After the DNA in this cell becomes mutated, it keeps multiplying, resulting in the production of abnormal white blood cells (WBCs or leukocytes) that don’t function as well as they should, as they also contain the mutated DNA.

While what causes leukemia in adults and children has not been found conclusively, there are certain risk factors that have been found to increase the likelihood of developing leukemia.

Risk Factors of Leukemia

Factors that may increase the risk of leukemia may include:

• Previous cancer treatment: People who have undergone some forms of cancer treatment, including chemotherapy or radiotherapy, are more exposed to the risk of developing leukemia.
• Exposure to certain chemicals: Certain chemicals found in common items like household and building materials, such as benzene and formaldehyde, are common carcinogens.
• Smoking: It increases the risk of developing acute myelogenous leukemia. Even secondhand smokers have an increased risk of such leukemia.
• Certain genetic disorders: Having certain genetic disorders such as Klinefelter syndrome, Down syndrome, and Shwachman-Diamond syndrome may increase the risk of developing leukemia.
• History of leukemia: A person having a family history of leukemia, i.e., it runs in the family, may be more likely to develop leukemia.

Diagnosis of Leukemia

As a primary step in the diagnosis of leukemia, the doctor may check the lymph nodes and ask for symptoms of swelling. They may also look for signs of enlarged liver or spleen. They may also check the gums for signs of bleeding or swelling along with skin rashes that may appear red, purple, or brown, which may be likely signs of leukemia.

The doctor will also likely check for signs of leukemia in the bone marrow or blood. They may recommend the following tests:

• Blood tests: A complete blood count (CBC) test may be recommended by doctors to check the levels of red blood cells, white blood cells (WBCs), and platelets. In the case of leukemia, a person is likely to have abnormal counts of white blood cells.
• Blood cell examination: The doctors may take additional blood samples to check for markers that may indicate the presence of leukemia cells.
• Bone marrow biopsy: A bone marrow biopsy or bone marrow aspiration is likely to be performed if the white blood cell count is abnormal. A sample of bone marrow fluid would be drawn through a needle that would be tested for leukemia cells.
• Spinal tap: A spinal tap examination may be performed to check if leukemia has spread to the spinal cord.

Imaging tests like MRI or CT scan and chest X-ray may be recommended to check if leukemia has affected the bones, tissues, or organs.

Treatment of Leukemia

Treatment of leukemia is based on the type of leukemia, the patient’s age, and how far it has spread. Some of the common treatments for leukemia may include the following.

• Chemotherapy: This leukemia treatment approach uses drugs to kill leukemia cells. These drugs may be given in the form of pills or directly injected into the bloodstream.
• Radiation therapy: Radiotherapy uses X-ray or other high-energy beams to mutilate leukemia cells and arrest their growth. It may be used before a bone marrow transplant.
• Targeted therapy: Targeted therapy also uses drugs that specifically target abnormalities in the leukemia cells and block them to stop leukemia from spreading.
• Immunotherapy: Immunotherapy may strengthen the body’s natural immune response to fight cancer.
• Bone marrow transplant: Bone marrow or stem cell transplant surgery may help replace abnormal bone marrow tissues with healthy ones to produce healthy, leukemia-free cells.

FAQs
Q1. What is the survival rate of leukemia?
A five-year survival rate of leukemia is more than 65% for all types of leukemia.

Q2. Can leukemia be cured?
Leukemia may not be cured completely, but with timely and proper treatment, patients’ outlook can be improved.

Q3. How long can a person live with leukemia?
Four out of five children with leukemia may live at least 5 years, but only 25-35% of adults with leukemia have a chance of survival for 5 years or longer.