Essay Example on Leukemia: A Cancer of Uncontrolled White Blood Cells

Introduction

Leukemia is referred to as cancer that mostly affects the bone marrow and other parts like the lymphatic system (Medscape, 2018). It usually occurs as a result of uncontrolled overproduction of white blood cells that are not normal. The abnormal white blood cells produced in the bone marrow rapidly destroy the healthy blood cells. Leukemia is prevalent for people under age 15 and those above 55 years. The treat of leukemia is possible if the knowledge of the type of white blood cells affected and if the sickness is acute and chronic. Acute leukemia develops faster and becomes more fatal, while chronic leukemia grows at a slower rate and takes long before advancing. Other cancer that starts elsewhere in organs like the breast, lungs, and colon then find their way into the bone marrow should not be confused to leukemia. It is, however, essential to note the leukemia manifests itself in different forms.

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Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL)

This is a type of leukemia that usually begins in either the B or T lymphocytes, in the spongy tissues located in the bones where blood cells are created. It is referred to as acute because the diseases progress at a very high speed and form relatively immature white blood cells. On the other hand, the term lymphatic comes from the white blood cells called lymphocytes which are affected. This type of leukemia is also known as acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Lymphatic leukemia usually affects young children; however, the response is often a good indicator of cure. Acute leukemia can also affect adults, although the possibility of treatment is minimal. The immediate lymphoid precursors dominate and replace the other normal functioning hematopoietic cells in the bone marrow.

The leading cause of this disease is the occurrence of an error in the DNA of the bone marrow, which signals the cells to keep growing and dividing. When this abnormality happens, the bone marrow produces immature cells that are called lymphoblast, which is unable to function like healthy blood cells (Medscape, 2018). The more they for, the more the other healthy blood cells are crowded out. It is, however, not clear what leads to the occurrence of this DNA mutation. But research has shown that not all patients who have acute lymphocytic leukemia inherited them.

The presence of this leukemia in a patient can be caused by a variety of signs and symptoms which are mainly; constant tiredness, general body weakness, persistent dizziness, breath shortness, the skin becomes pale, infections keep attacking the patient, redness on the surface, and uncontrolled nosebleeds, gums, or menstruation in female. However, most patients that suffer from this type of leukemia usually have common symptoms like frequent fever, excessive weight loss, sweating at night, and loss of appetite.

Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

This is a type of leukemia that mostly affects older adults. Chronic lymphocytic leukemia develops very slowly; therefore, symptoms may only become detected after a few years. But as symptoms are delayed, the cells grow over time and eventually find their way into other body parts like the liver, lymph and spleen. It originates in the B lymphocytes whereby the abnormal cells stay longer than a normal cell; thereby; they multiply and congest out the healthy cells in the bone marrow then spreads in the blood. These cells do not mature completely (Medscape, 2018). Therefore they appear normal under the microscope, but in reality, they are not.

Due to their nature, they do not fight infections like a normal cell, causing a complication. Chronic lymphocytic are challenging to treat than acute lymphocytic. Like the acute form, the leading cause of chronic Lymphocytic is not also known. However, genetic mutation is identified to happen in the bone marrow that produces these cells. This leukemia may cause complications like the frequent occurrence of infections, possibility of development of other severe forms of cancer, and the immune systems of these patients may decrease.

Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Like all the other types of leukemia, it is a blood cancer affecting the bone marrow and the blood. However, it affects a group of blood cells called the myeloid cells, which usually mature into a variety of blood like, red blood cells, white cells, or platelets. Acute myeloid leukemia occurs when DNA of cells developing in the bone marrow are damaged, producing immature cells that become leukemia white blood cells whose number rapid increase in the body. Risk factors that are likely to cause AML are smoking, some variety of chemotherapy drugs, e.g. melphalan, increased doses of radiation, and inheritance. These formed cells are referred to as myeloblasts don't function properly. It usually progresses swift and usually affects both children and adults. Acute myeloid leukemia can be fatal if it is not treated in the time since it spreads very quickly to other parts of the body like the lymph nodes, liver, brain, spinal cord, spleen, or even testicles (Medscape, 2018). However, the extent of damage usually depends on how it responds to treatment. Acute myeloid usually starts with symptoms like resemble flu, and these are fatigue, swollen gums, headache, weight loss, and spots and bleeding.

Because it develops very quickly, early treatment is essential however the response to the patient to the treatment will depend on the king of acute myeloid leukemia, the overall health of the patient, and how the disease has spread.

Chronic Myeloid Leukemia

This kind of leukemia is scarce since only ten per cent of cases of leukemia are chronic myeloid leukemia. Just like AML, it occurs when the change in the DNA leads to the formation of myeloid cells to immature cells. It is chronic because it tends to develop very slowly. New treatments methods have enabled the prognosis for patients with this kind of leukemia. Therefore luck people get remission and live for a long time after diagnosis. Chronic myeloid leukemia doesn't have sign and symptoms; hence, it may be detected when the blood of the patient is tested. In severe cases, sign and symptoms may include, bone pain, fever, tiredness, getting full after consuming less amount of food, reduction in weight, pain below the rib region, or excessive bleeding even from small cuts. Factors that can cause CML are, ageing, gender-male are at a higher chance than female, and dangerous exposure to radiation.

It is important to note that unlike another kind of leukemia, CML is not transferred from parents to children. This mutation is acquired; therefore, it develops immediately a baby is born.

Hairy Cell Leukemia

This is also a rare type of leukemia that usually progress very slowly in the body. Like Chronic Lymphocytic leukemia, the cancer cells are of type B lymphocyte but different, meaning different signs and symptoms. Their unique name come from how they appear when they are viewed under a microscope-projections that make them resemble hair. HCL is likely to affect men than women and develops mostly in middle-aged individuals or older once. It is called chronic because it may pass an individual and if treated, may take a relatively long time before occurring again.

Some types of hairy cells leukemia are fatigue, easily bruised, weakness, over the occurrence of an infection, and weight loss.

T-Cell Prolymphocytic Leukemia

This is a rare form of leukemia that is caused as a result of uncontrolled growth of mature T-cells, which are also referred to as T-lymphocytes. These cells usually protect the body from diseases. T-cell prolymphocytic mostly affects older adults and more common in men. Mutation in the gene of the T-cell can cause it to develop aggressive cancer. The leukemia multiplies as time progresses, producing more leukemia cells since each cell produced has the same genetic composition as the initial one (WebMD, 2020). The most common sign and symptoms are lymphadenopathies, enlargement of the liver, high blood white cell count, and low platelets and red blood cells count.

Adult T-cell Leukemia

This is also rare and grows very fast. T-cell lymphoma that is found in blood, lymph nodes, around the body and even the skin are involved. Research has linked T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 to this leukemia(Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, 2018). ATLL may require the removal of a tumour called biopsy during diagnosis. Some signs are excessive bleeding, loss of weight and appetite.

Conclusion

Leukemia can be classified in different categories according to the type of cell. How it occurs, it is also important to mention that a genetic mutation of the DNA mostly causes all kind of leukemia. White blood cells are crucial in immune; therefore, leukemia can be fatal if not checked.

References

Med scape (2018 September, 16). Types of leukemia. https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/200580-overvierWebMD. (2020,February 15).Effects of Cancer. https://www.webmd.com/cancer/lymphoma/acute-lymphoblastic-leukemia#4

Leukemia and Lymphoma society. ( 2018, February, 10) Cancer epidemic. https://www.lls.org/leukemia/t-cell-prolymphocytic-leukemia-t-pll.