Leukemia And its Types

Leukemia is a form of cancer that occurs at the level of the spinal marrow. Inside the spinal marrow there is a type of immature blood cells that are called stem cells. These cells have a neutral initial state and later develop into different types of blood cells (white blood cells, red blood cells and platelets). Leukemia interferes in the normal process of cell maturation, leading to an accumulation of partially developed blood cells in the marrow, blood and later in body organs.

The direct leukemia causes are still unknown. In present, medical science isn’t able to establish the specific leukemia causes. However, a strong connection between certain genetic factors and the development of the disease has been revealed. Leukemia occurs on the background of genetic failure that causes the excessive production of incomplete, partially matured blood cells. Also, leukemia has a hereditary character, allowing the transmission of genetic predispositions to disease from one generation to another.

Chronic leukemia also causes serious impairments at cellular level, triggering an overproduction of abnormal cells. However, unlike acute leukemia, chronic forms of the disease allow the affected cells to reach more advanced stages of development. Thus, chronic leukemia has a slower rate of progression.

The most common type of leukemia among children aged 3-15 is acute lymphocytic leukemia. Due to the fact that acute lymphocytic leukemia predominantly affects children, it is referred to as childhood leukemia. Childhood leukemia rarely affects children younger than 3 or with ages over 15. Despite the fact that modern medicine doesn’t hold the cure for childhood leukemia, the medical treatments and therapies available nowadays can slow down the progression of the disease and in some cases, they can even overcome leukemia completely.

In the case of acute forms of leukemia, the abnormal cells come from early, immature cells. Such forms of the disorder have a very fast rate of development, due to the fact that normal stem cells tend to multiply frequently. Leukemia cells usually don’t divide faster and more frequently than normal stem cells, they simply don’t stop their process of division when they should. Sometimes the numbers of white blood cells are very high, while in other cases they can be normal or low.

Signs of acute leukemia may include; high fever, abnormal bleeding, easy bruising and prolonged menses. Sometimes the onset of symptoms is more gradual with low grade fever, weakness, chills, recurrent infections or lassitude, lasting for days or months before visual symptoms occur.

Types Of Leukemia:

Acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) is most common in adults and causes the rapid development of immature white blood cells in the bone marrow crowding out normal cells and spreading these no-functioning cells throughout the body. This interferes in usual work of the normal blood cells.

Acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) is most common among children under the age of fifteen. In this leukemia the rapid multiplying of malignant immature white blood cells crowds out normal white cells. This type of leukemia responds well to treatment if it is diagnosed in time.