The Disease Leukemia - Research Paper Example

 The Disease Leukemia Leukemia is a cancer of the blood either of bone marrow. This disease develops when blood in the bone marrow is produced in large amount. The bone marrow is present inside the bones. The DNA of the white blood cells is damaged. This causes the blood cells to grow disorderly. The normal cells die and making the abnormal cells grow. The abnormal cells do not die easily. This makes the abnormal cells occupy greater area. The normal cells die but still multiply within the body. There is less space for normal cells and eventually the patience suffers from illness (Ball and Kagan, 2007). Leukemia occurs when white blood cells transform in their DNA. Other alterations in the cells that are not even fully understood also causes leukemia. These abnormalities make the cells grow and multiply causing the normal cells to die. The formation of leukemia depends upon some factors like the age of the patient, the type of leukemia and to what extent the leukemia has spread (Smith et al, 1994). Classification and types of leukemia The leukemia is classified into various categories. These include acute leukemia, in which the abnormal blood cells are not mature and can’t work normally as they grow rapidly. While in Chronic leukemia the cells function properly as they are mature and a person can survive for a long time without treatment, for many years. In Myelogenous leukemia, the myeloid cells are affected which risen up the white blood cells and red blood cells (Gribben, 2008). There are four main types of leukemia found. That is acute myeloid leukemia which is found in children and adults, and then it is acute lymphoblastic leukemia which is found in youngsters. Chronic myeloid leukemia mainly affects the adults. Chronic lymphocytic leukemia is which is found in adults but it is not harmful and person suffering form it can survive without treatment for a long time. Leukemia is named according to the type of cell that is affected. Other types of leukemia are hairy cell leukemia, chronic myelomonocytic leukemia and Chronic Juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia (Peacock, 2000). Major Symptoms and causes of leukemia There are various symptoms of leukemia. The symptoms of his disease mainly depend mainly on the type of leukemia being suffered. Usually there is damage to the bone marrow as the normal cells are replaced by abnormal cells causes loss of blood platelets. This causes frequent bleeding as the blood cells decreases and this cause anemia(disorder of blood). the risk of infection increases causing high level of fever which causes headaches. Eventually, the leukemia patient to lose weight and the patient feels tired and weak and is unable to do any work. Some patients experience nausea due to large liver ,night sweating or night chills, bone or joint pain, diarrhea. The patients rapidly lose weight and do not feel hungry. Lymph nodes in neck are also formed and the throat becomes sore and swollen gums. The patients often experience the vision problem. There is swelling of the lymph nodes nut it is painless. The patient feels ambiguous discomfort as there is problem in breathing and vague kind of abdominal pains (Freireich, 1993). There have been severan exteinsive research studies conducted to find out the cause of this diseases but no specific single cause has been identified. However still there are some things that cause leukemia and increase the risk for leukemia. This is mainly caused due to high radiation. In adults, main causes found are mainly natural and artificial ionizing radiation. Use of tobacco by adults increases the risk for acute myeloid leukemia. Eating vegetables usually give benefit for the patients. Some people adapt leukemia genetically as it is may be any other family member in history. People suffering from Down syndrome have more risk of developing leukemia. It is because people with chromosomes abnormalities have higher risk. Low frequency Electromagnetic energy occurs naturally and in alliance in use of electrical power. The environmental causes are significant effects in leukemia. Like chemicals such as hair dyes and some viruses formed. Life style variables also cause leukemia. Sometimes cancer patients treated may also treat leukemia afterwards. People suffering from blood diseases have increased risk of leukemia (Leonard, 1998). Treatments and their side effects The treatments vary according to the type of leukemia being suffered. There are various types of treatments for leukemia. Chemotherapy is a drug treatment that uses chemicals to kill leukemia cells. Leukemia patients receive single drug or composite drug. It depends on the type of leukemia being suffered. Either these are available in pills or injections. Biological therapy: it works by helping the affected system known and attack leukemia cells. Targeted therapy: this therapy uses drugs that attack specific susceptibleness within the cancer cells. Radiation therapy: this therapy uses X-rays or other kind of high energy doses that kills leukemia cells and stop their growth. This treatment is done when large machine moves around the patient. Radiation is received in any area of a body where there is collection of leukemia cells. Stem cell transplant: in this treatment, a new healthy bone marrow is replaced by a diseased bone marrow. Before the transplant, high doses of radiation therapy are received to destroy a diseased bone marrow (Scheinberg, and Jurcic, 2004). Then a mixture of blood forming stem cells is received to make the bone marrow built. This transplant is similar to bone marrow transplant. Surgery: this is used in the treatment of chronic leukemia. But some people suffering from chronic leukemia will have to make their spleen being removed. It is because the spleen gets enlarged. This makes the spleen with discomfort and pain. It breaks down red blood cells causing bleeding. The spleen is removed by surgery under unconsciousness. After surgery, the patient feels pain but it is not permanent .without a spleen, there are more risks of infections (Peacock, 2000). The most common side effect found after the treatment is the development of the new cancer. After the treatment, the side effects stay for the rest of the life creating medical problems. As this is the cancer of the bone marrow, this makes the white cells useless and they could not work properly or fight against any disease. The radiation treatment also increases the risk for cancer. The patients treated with chemotherapy or radiation therapy develops greater risk for cardiac problems. After the treatment of leukemia, the patients have to have their checkups on daily basis (Smith et al, 1994). Diagnoses and screening Doctors find leukemia in routine checkups, mainly through blood tests. If the symptoms are of leukemia then the patient has to go through several tests. The first one is physical exam. In this, the doctor goes through the physical symptoms of leukemia like swelling of lymph nodes, spleen and liver. The skin is also pale from anemia. Then the second step is blood testing. In this the sample of a blood is taken and by looking at that sample doctor can know the abnormality of white blood cells and platelets (Leonard, 1998). Blood tests are performed to check the level of blood as leukemia causes a high level of white blood cells, low level of platelets and hemoglobin. It also checks if the leukemia has affected liver. Then the test of bone marrow is taken. In this the doctor suggests to remove a sample of a bone marrow from hipbone. There are two ways to remove bone either by bone aspiration or by bone marrow biopsy. In bone marrow aspiration, the bone is removed by a thin, long needle while in bone marrow biopsy the bone is removed by thick needle. The sample is sent to laboratories for leukemia cells. The other way to diagnose leukemia is by the method of spinal tap. In this, the doctor will remove some amount of cerebrospinal fluid. It is a fluid that fills out the spaces in and around the brain and spinal cord. A needle is used in this process. It removes fluid from the spinal column. In the chest X-ray, the signs of leukemia are revealed. Ultrasounds and CT scans are also used to diagnose leukemia (Scheinberg, and Jurcic, 2004). Since there is problem in diagnosing leukemia, the patients are passed through screening processes before the treatment gets started. Screening is used to actuate that who is risk even before the symptoms are shown. The doctors go through the family history and the drugs used by the patient. It is asked to judge whether there is risk of leukemia or not. Proper screening gives clear idea for the treatment. Leukemia is a cancer of blood cells. People suffering from leukemia have higher risk of developing infections. Treatments of leukemia depend on what kind of leukemia the person is suffering from. The patients are mainly treated by radiation therapy, Targeted therapy, Stem cell transplant etc. There is still no way found for the prevention of leukemia (Scheinberg, and Jurcic, 2004). As this is very dangerous, so it is important for every person to get treated before time as soon as the symptoms are seen. It is very much necessary to have a healthy nation. Even after the treatment is done, there are some of the side effects which are left but that are not that dangerous. There are no specific causes still found of leukemia. But as soon the signs of leukemia are seen, the patient must visit a doctor for clarification. It is very important to have a healthy environment and nation. For this reason, the treatment of this disease should be done on time. Otherwise it becomes dangerous. Sometimes the treatment is non-affordable. In that case, the public hospitals should be visited rather than private. The public hospitals should have all the facilities available. This will make low rate of illness in the society. Everyone should be treated equally with same treatment procedures. References Ball, E. and Kagan, A. (2007). 100 Questions & Answers about Leukemia. London: Jones & Bartlett Learning Freireich, E. (1993). Leukemia: Advances in Research and Treatment. NY: Springer, 1993 Gribben, G. (2008). Molecular profiling in CLL. In: Hematology 2008. American Society of Hematology Education Program Book. Online at: http://asheducationbook.hematologylibrary.org/content/2008/1/444.full Leonard, B. (1998). Leukemia: A Research Report. NY: DIANE Publishing Peacock, J. (2000). Leukemia. London: Capstone Press Scheinberg, D. and Jurcic, D. (2004). Treatment of Leukemia and Lymphoma. London: Academic Press Smith, M., Gloeckler R., Gurney, G., Ross. (1994). Leukemia, SEER Pediatric Monograph, National Cancer Institute 17 SEER. Retrieved online from seer.cancer.gov/publications/childhood/leukemia.pdf Read More