Leukemia – disease of the blood-forming system
Leukemia is the collective term for all cancers of the hematopoietic system . The lymphocytes, monocytes and granulocytes form in their preliminary stages in the bone marrow. A faulty switching of certain genes that influence the maturation process leads to the disease. Non-functional, immature precursors of lymphocytes and granulocytes develop in the bone marrow .
The degenerated cells multiply rapidly and uncontrollably. Due to the bulk, they crowd out healthy blood cells and platelets. Unlike other types of cancer, leukemia affects the entire body from the start.
The causes of the disease are currently largely unknown. Various factors, genetically determined or caused by ionizing radiation, can be considered for the maldevelopment of the cells. People with Down syndrome are many times more susceptible to blood cancer than others. Both types of disease, myeloid and lymphatic in acute and chronic forms, are most common in middle-aged people.
Leukemia – types, symptoms and course of the disease
The symptoms of leukemia appear the same in the majority of those affected. Fatigue, a tendency to bleed, an increased susceptibility to infection and paleness are among the well-known symptoms. Physicians roughly distinguish between acute and chronic leukemia and their subdivision into myeloid and lymphatic types.
The four forms of leukemia:
- acute lymphatic form (ALL). This type is most common in children. In its course, ALL affects the brain and meninges. Paralysis is not uncommon in patients.
- acute myeloid form (AML). AML mainly develops in the stem cells of the white blood cells. It also degenerates from the red blood cells, the erythrocytes . This causes erythroleukemia. This type of disease occurs primarily in adults.
- chronic myeloid form (CML). In this type of disease, the granulocytes multiply abnormally. The blast crisis washes the immature granulocyte precursors into the blood. The degenerated cells settle in the spleen and liver.
- chronic lymphatic form (CLL). This type of leukemia tends to occur in the elderly. Doctors refer to this form as “non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma”. The non-intact lymphocytes occur in the lymph nodes, bone marrow, spleen and liver. The human body’s defense system is incapable of fighting off viruses and bacteria.
While the acute forms of leukemia progress rapidly, the course of the chronic forms is insidious. In the case of chronic leukemia, it takes months or years before clear symptoms appear and the disease breaks out. Most doctors discover chronic leukemia during routine examinations.
The majority of those affected feel little or no discomfort. The reason for this can be found in the complete maturity of lymphatic and myeloid cells. If there are more than 20 percent immature cells in the bone marrow, the chronic type can be the same as the acute one.
The symptoms of the acute illness appear with a weak general condition. The patient appears pale, has a fever, and sweats profusely. Inflammation of the mucous membranes, mainly the oral mucosa, are also among the symptoms.
Diagnosis and therapy of leukemia
If blood cancer is suspected, the doctor will carry out a blood test. This includes a differential blood count, which contains the parts of the blood cell population. Each form of the disease has its specific form of blood count.
The blood count, the symptoms and the examination confirm the suspicion of leukemia. Procedures such as computed tomography, sonography and X-rays can be used to determine the infestation of the internal organs.
The therapy for leukemia consists mainly of chemotherapy . This method damages the bone marrow during therapy. The process impairs the regeneration of blood and cells for the immune system. Other types of treatment for leukemia are used in children .
The drug for chemotherapy comes from the group of cytostatics. The active ingredient attacks the dividing cells, favoring the rapidly dividing cancer cells. Radiation therapy can also be considered. It supports chemotherapy, mainly in the cranial region.
