Leukemia is a type of cancer that starts in the bone marrow. Bone marrow is where the body creates new blood cells. Leukemia leads to bone marrow creating too many blood cells, many of which are abnormal white blood cells.
The two types of white blood cells that lead to leukemia are myeloid and lymphoid cells. A person has myelogenous (or myeloid) leukemia when caused by the former and lymphocytic leukemia when caused by lymphoid cells. Leukemia cells get to circulate all over the body, leading to various health issues that a hematologist can help to locate.
Let us take a look at some of the answers to questions you might have about leukemia:
Blood is made up of several components. The liquid part of blood is called the plasma, and it contains three different types of blood cells: red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. Each type of blood cell plays a specific role.
White blood cells help to fight off infections. The body makes more of them when a person has an infection. Red blood cells transport oxygen from the lungs to tissues all over the body. They also extract carbon dioxide from these tissues and take it back to the lungs, where it is removed. Anemia occurs when an individual does not have enough red blood cells to keep their tissues supplied with oxygen. Anemic people often experience symptoms like irritability, headaches, dizziness, and fatigue. Platelets help to control bleeding by helping to form blood clots.
Healthy blood cells shrink in size as they grow in the bone marrow. This allows them to play their roles more efficiently. Some of these cells are sent all over the body to grow, while others remain in the marrow. The rate at which these cells are created varies based on the body's needs. Leukemia leads to abnormal white blood cells being created in the bone marrow, limiting the body's ability to fight off infections.
There is no guaranteed way to prevent leukemia, but lifestyle changes can be made to reduce a person's risk factors. For example, smoking is a risk factor for myeloid leukemia. Quitting could reduce a person's risk of developing leukemia and many other types of cancer.
There are two categories used to classify leukemia: acute or chronic. These terms indicate how fast a person's abnormal cells progress towards more advanced phases of the disease and how close these cells are to normal cells.
People with acute leukemia typically have immature blood cells that cannot serve their roles. The number of these abnormal cells being produced increases quickly and typically worsens until treated.
Those with chronic leukemia often have a combination of mature functional and young blood cells called blasts. These blasts grow gradually, so it takes longer for the patient's condition to worsen. People with chronic leukemia are sometimes stable for years without medical treatment.
Some of the treatments a hematologist might recommend for patients with leukemia include:
Our oncologist has years of experience treating patients with leukemia. Give us a call or visit our Marlton clinic to set up an appointment.
Request an appointment here: https://lindenbergcancer.com or call Lindenberg Cancer & Hematology Center at (856) 475-0876 for an appointment in our Marlton office.
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