Derived from the Greek leukos which means “white” and aima which means “blood,” leukemia is a far-reaching term that covers an assortment of diseases and it, in and of itself, is counted among the wide variety of diseases which are referred to as hematological neoplasms. Being most easily recognized by its atypical and overactive reproduction of white or red blood cells, leukemia is a cancer of the blood or bone marrow.
Leukemia can occur as either the acute or the chronic form and it can affect different kinds of blood cells such as lymphoblastic (lymphocytic leukemia) and myeloid (myelogenous leukemia). Furthermore, within these major categories, there are also subcategories:
1/ Acute leukemia is most common in children and, due to its very rapid increase of underdeveloped blood cells in bone marrow which impedes the formation of healthy blood cells, immediate treatments are required. Otherwise the malignancy spreads very quickly into the bloodstream and then to other organs of the body.
- Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) most frequently affects children and the elderly over the age of 65. Its survival rates after treatments of chemotherapy and radiation are approximately 85% for children and 50% for adults. Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) can be further divided into precursor B acute lymphoblastic leukemia, precursor T acute lymphoblastic leukemia, Burkitt’s leukemia and acute biphenotypic leukemia.
- Acute myeologenous leukemia (AML) is more recurrent in adults than in children and more so among men than women. After treatments of chemotherapy, the survival rate is about 40%. Acute myeologenous leukemia (AML) is subdivided into acute promyelocytic leukemia, acute myeloblastic leukemia, and acute megakaryoblastic leukemia.
2/ Chronic leukemia most often appears among the elderly but it can appear among the young as well. Because Chronic leukemia advances rather slowly as it builds up more and more blood cells which are fully formed but still abnormal, its treatment is rarely urgent.
- Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) occurs most often in adults older than 55 and sometimes in younger adults but very rarely in children, and nearly 66% of the diagnosed are men. The survival rate after treatments is about 75%. Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) also includes the B-cell prolymphocytic leukemia.
- Hairy cell leukemia (HCL) is occasionally confused with CLL but that does not exactly fit. The great majority (about 80%) of those who have been diagnosed are adult men and it has never been seen among children. Its survival rate after a variety of treatments is between 96% and 100%.
- Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) is mostly found in adults buy a small percentage is also found in children. The survival rate after treatment with imatinib (Gleevec) and other drugs is over 90% and it also includes the chronic monocytic leukemia.
3/ Lymphocytic leukemia abnormally affects cells in the bone marrow that are eventually formed into lymphocytes which are the infection-fighting cells of the immune system.
4/ Myelogenous leukemia adversely affects cells in of bone marrow that are ultimately formed into red blood cells, particular kinds of white blood cells as well as platelets.
Symptoms of Leukemia
- Bruising, bleeding more than normal, pinprick bleeds (petechiae).
- Frequent upper respiratory infections and pneumonia.
- Anemia (low red blood cell count).
- Generally feeling sick with headaches, fevers, chills, night sweats, flu-like symptoms, fatigue.
- Digestive tract discomfort such as nausea, loss of appetite and severe diarrhea.
Causes of Leukemia
The causes of leukemia and all its types are yet unknown.
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