Introduction
Leukemia is a cancer of the blood and develops in the bone marrow. The bone marrow is the soft, spongy center of certain bones that produces blood cells. Leukemia is a cancer caused due to rapid growth of abnormal white blood cells (WBC) in the blood and bone morrow of the pediatric patient’s body. It is also called as Leukemia blood disorder.
The three major types of blood cells are
• White blood cells - to fight infection
• Red blood cells - that carry oxygen and
• Platelets - that help with blood clotting and stop bleeding.
Leukemia cancer in the patient will make bone marrow to produce excessive amount of cells. Among those cells, white blood cells will be in excessive amount. Most of the cells do not get mature properly which lead to reproduction of few more immature cells. Healthy cells reproduce when there is enough space for them to fit in the blood. The immunity system of body can regulate the reproduction of normal cells by sending some signals. Whereas coming to immature cells doesn't respond to signals and reproduce in excess amount with in short period of time.
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The reproduced cells which produced because of immature cells does not function properly and doesn't stop infection. When this reproduction amount of immature cells overcome the normal white blood cells amount patient experience the symptoms of leukemia (such as infections, anemia, or bleeding).
White blood cells usually defend the infections caused in the human body, due to these abnormality in the blood cells they stop fighting with the infections and leads to insufficient growth of red blood cells and platelets which causes death of the patient.
Leukemia is one of the major cancers in blood which affects approximately 4000 children every year in the USA, on calculation almost every one child among three cancer affected children are effected with Leukemia
Multiple Myeloma is a form of cancer which affects the plasma cells of the body, which are white blood cells. Multiple Myeloma, first described in 1848, is a disease “characterized by a proliferation of malignant plasma cells and a subsequent overabundance of monoclonal paraprotein.” To understand how Multiple Myeloma affects an infected person’s plasma cells, it helps to have a general understanding of how normal blood cells are formed and how they act. Most blood cells develop from stem cells, which can be found in bone marrow (soft material inside our bones – the “filling”). Stem cells mature into white blood cells, red blood cells, or platelets.2 The purpose of white blood cells is to fight off infection, while
Leukemia is a cancer of blood cells, specifically white blood cells that are responsible for fighting infection. However, the abnormal cells in leukemia do not function in the same way as normal white blood cells. Leukemia cells continue to grow and divide, eventually crowding out normal blood cells. The end result is that it becomes difficult for the body to fight infections, control bleeding and transport oxygen (Medicine Net, 2015). It is estimated that each year, approximately 30,800 individuals will be diagnosed with leukemia in the United
Scenario: John is a 4 year-old boy who was admitted for chemotherapy following diagnosis of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). He had a white blood cell count of 250,000. Clinical presentation included loss of appetite, easily bruised, gum bleeding, and fatigue. Physical examination revealed marked splenomegaly, pale skin color, temperature of 102°F, and upper abdomen tenderness along with nonspecific arthralgia.
According to the American Cancer Society (2013) stated, “Leukemia is a cancer that starts in early blood-forming cells” (American Cancer Society, 2013). “Most often, leukemia is a cancer of the white blood cells, but some leukemias start in other blood cell types” (American Cancer Society, 2013). “Any of the cells from the bone marrow can turn into a leukemia cell” (American Cancer Society, 2013). According to the American Cancer Society (2013) stated, “Once this change takes place, the leukemia cells don’t go through the normal process of maturing” (American Cancer Society, 2013). There are changes that leukemia cells can quickly reproduce themselves and not die when they are suppose too (American Cancer Society, 2013). “They survive and build up in the bone marrow, crowding out normal cells” (American Cancer Society, 2013). “In most cases, the leukemia cells spill into the bloodstream fairly quickly” (American Cancer Society, 2013). “Almost all childhood leukemia is acute leukemias” (American Cancer Society, 2013).
Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, is the disease that affects children the most and because of the abnormal cells that are immature white blood cells which cannot help the body fight infections cause children with the disease to often get infections and have fevers (National Cancer Institute, 2002, p. 1). The symptoms that the patient with ALL may have depend on the number of abnormal cells of the patient where exactly the cells collect. Children patients with ALL have low amounts of healthy red blood cells and platelets, which cause less oxygen to be carried through the body because of the lack of red blood cells. Patients at times may look pale, feel weak, and tired causing bleeding and bruising very easily because of their lack of enough platelets. This condition is called anemia. Anemia is very much common in patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Fever, fatigue, bone or joint pain, tiny red spots under the skin called petechiae are a couple of symptoms that the disease ALL has. Headaches with, or without vomiting also may occur if patient happens to have abnormal cells collecting in the brain or spinal cord (National Cancer Institute, 2002 para. 2).
Leukemia broadly describes conditions that affect erythropoiesis in the bone marrow, lymphatic system, and spleen. As with all other cancers, leukemia begins from the mutation of DNA in certain cells. Classifications of leukemias are based on the age of onset and the leukocyte involved (Lewis et al. 2014, 665). The most common leukemia is chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), accounting for approximately 30% of cases in the United States (Copstead and Banasik 2013, 222). The normal function of the bone marrow, spleen, and liver becomes interrupted by the invasion of malignant lymphocytes (B cells); since the B cells are functionally inactive, a patient becomes more susceptible to infections. The sluggish progression of CLL unfortunately leads to late diagnoses and poor prognosis (Lewis et al. 2014, 665). Patients that become symptomatic in later stages will experience fatigue, weight loss, anorexia, and an increased susceptibility to infection, due to abnormal antibody production. Patient specific factors such as age, disease progression, and medication side effects will determine the course of treatment (Copstead and Banasik 2013, 223). The fragile state of patients with CLL requires continuous examination of drug therapy and interventions to prevent further complications.
How Leukemia starts is with the DNA of immature blood cells, mainly white cells, that get damaged somehow. That causes blood cells to grow chaotically without stopping like the body tells it to. If you didn't know normal cells die after a while and are replaced by a new one which are produced in the bone marrow. Abnormal cells don't die so easily and that is why when they keep multiplying they occupy more and more space and then the normal cells
- Fact/evidence to support reason #1: The second highest kind of cancer in children is brain cancer.
Multiple myeloma is a form of cancer that results from the uncontrolled growth of abnormal plasma cells. Plasma cells are a type of white blood cell produced in the soft tissue inside bones (bone marrow). These are cells in your blood that normally help you fight infection. They are part of your body’s defense system (immune system). Plasma cells that become cancerous will grow out of control. As a result, they interfere with normal blood cells and many important functions that normal cells perform in the body. With multiple myeloma, the abnormal plasma cells cause multiple tumors to form.
Leukemia is cancer in the bone marrow and the lymphatic system and affect the body's blood-forming tissues. Leukemia usually involves white blood cells. Your white blood cells fight off infections. People with leukemia, the bone marrow produces abnormal white blood cells, which don't function properly. Scientists don't understand the exact causes of leukemia. It is believed to develop from a combination of genetic and environmental factors. In general, leukemia is thought to occur when blood cells acquire mutations in their DNA. The CD34 phenotype. Certain abnormalities
I work in an oncology clinic where we use anticancer treatments like chemotherapy. When a patient is diagnosed with leukemia, the Oncologist usually
Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia is a scary disease. The term “acute” means the disease can quickly spread and progress quickly and can prove fatal in months if left untreated. “Lymphocytic” simply means that it develops from immature forms of lymphocytes. Also known as Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, or ALL for short, it is a type of cancer that starts from the early form of white blood cells called lymphocytes in the bone marrow. ALL is the most common form of cancer in children, though adults can get it as well. For children, treatment results in a good chance of a cure. Adults have a significantly smaller chance of a cure with ALL. ALL generally invades the blood very quickly and has the potential to spread to other body parts such as the spleen,
Leukaemia is produced in the bone marrow, which is connected to the muscle joint, once white cells has been
Leukemia is a type of cancer. Cancer is a group of more than 100 diseases that have two or more important things in common. One is that certain cells in the body become abnormal. Another is that the body keeps producing large numbers of these abnormal cells. Leukemia is cancer of the blood ce3lls. When leukemia develops the body produces large numbers of abnormal blood cells. In most types of leukemia, the abnormal blood cells and they do not
Once these cells become leukemia cells then they no longer mature nor form normally. These cells may reproduce quickly and not die when they should, or can build up in the bone marrow and begin to crowd other healthy cells.