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Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia is a Rapid Growing Cancer

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Acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), a fast growing cancer that can spread throughout the body very quickly and be life threatening if left untreated and is caused by lymphocyte defects. To understand ALL, it is necessary to understand the cardiovascular system. The human cardiovascular system consists of heart, blood and blood vessels. The heart is a muscle that pumps blood through two major blood vessels; arteries carry oxygenated blood away from the heart whereas veins carry deoxygenated blood towards the heart. Blood transports oxygen, carbon dioxide, nutrients, wastes, and hormones. It provides protection against many infections, eliminates microorganisms and cancer cells, neutralizes toxins and initiates clotting. It also regulates fluid balance, balancing normal pH levels in the tissue, and controls temperature (Marieb and Hoehn 632-633). Blood is composed of three types of elements such as red blood cells (erythrocytes) which carry oxygen; white blood cells (leukocytes), defenders against infections; and platelets which are for clotting. There are five types of leukocytes, some with granules (granulocytes), and some without granules (agranulocytes). There are three types of white blood cell with granulocytes: Neutrophils, Eosinophils, and Basophils. Neutrophils engulf bacteria and fungi. Eosinophils target parasites and play an important role in allergy and asthma. Basophils release histamine in response to inflammation. Agranulocytes include lymphocytes and

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