According to the National Cancer Institute, Leukemia is a broad term
for cancers of the blood cells. The type of leukemia depends on the
type of blood cell that becomes cancer and whether it grows quickly
or slowly. Leukemia affects the hematopoietic system, it does so due
to being a cancer of the blood cells. Such cells as white blood cells,
red blood cells, and platelets. All these cells originate from bone
marrow and travel throughout the body, as such so can leukemia.
Most commonly affected are white blood cells, in which bone marrow
produces too many. Your body then "fights" itself causing an
abnormality to what would be considered healthy.
To classify leukemia you look at how fast they progress and what cell
is impacted. Two types of speed classifications are, acute leukemia, in
where white blood cells grow too quickly and symptoms are usually
severe and immediate; and chronic leukemia, where the white blood
cells grow slower and symptoms may not show for years. We then
see that leukemia can be classified as myeloid leukemia, where
leukemia develops in white blood cells called neutrophils and
monocytes, and lymphocytic leukemia, where leukemia develops in
immature stem cells that grow into B lymphocytes, and T
lymphocytes.
Some factors to take into account, if someone in your family has had
leukemia, you have a higher risk, it is more common in men and those
over 60 but it can develop at any time. Children are more typically
diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia. Signs and symptoms can
vary depending on which type of leukemia is present but most
commonly are: fever/chills, persistent fatigue, frequent infections,
swollen lymph nodes, recurring nose bleeds, bone tenderness/pain.
Testing for leukemia is fairly simple and can be done routinely during
annual physicals. Complete Blood Count tests that come back with
abnormal blood levels, bone marrow biopsy, and spinal taps are some
of the ways to test for leukemia. a
Leukemia. National Cancer Institute. (2021). Retrieved from
Leukemia—Patient Version - National Cancer Institute
Leukemia. Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center (HICCC) -
New York. (2021, July 1). Retrieved from Leukemia Symptoms &
Diagnosis | Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center (HICCC) -
New York (columbia.edu)
