Essay Sample on Leukemia: Causes, Symptoms & Treatment Options

Introduction

Leukemia is a cancerous disease that affects the tissue that forms the blood cells, such as bone marrow and lymphatic system. Treating leukemia is not easy; many sophisticated methods can be used depending on the diagnosis. The symptoms of leukemia differ from the type of leukemia. The symptoms can be identified easily since they resemble common illness symptoms such as flu. Leukemia occurs when the blood cells grow and divide rapidly due to the alteration of the immune system. This paper will mainly focus on the strategies of treating and preventing the occurrence of leukemia.

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Symptoms and Types of Leukemia

The symptoms of leukemia differ per the type of leukemia (Robbertz et al., 2020). Examples of these symptoms are as follows:

• Fever
• Fatigue
• Loss of weight
• Recurrent nose bleed
• Tiny spots
• Excess sweat, and pain in the bones

Leukemia is classified into two groups according to its progression on patients. The first classification comprises of acute and chronic leukemia. In acute leukemia, the blood cells are undeveloped and cannot carry the standard functions. Therefore, they multiply rapidly, and the diseases worsen. In chronic leukemia, some cells produce a large number of cells while others a few cells (Robbertz et al., 2020). The second group comprises of Lymphocytic and myelogenous leukemia. Lymphocytic Leukemia alters lymphoid cells, which is in charge of the immune system. Myelogenous Leukemia is caused by myeloid cells, which produce white blood cells. The four kinds of leukemia are acute lymphocytic, acute myelogenous, chronic lymphocytic, and chronic myelogenous Leukemia (Xiao et al., 2017).

Treatment and Diagnosis of Leukemia

Numerous leukemia groups do not show symptoms in early stages; therefore, diagnosis can be made through various methods and procedures. The physical exam is one of the ways the doctor identifies the usual symptoms of leukemia, such as swelling of the lymph node. A blood test can also be used to determine whether there are abnormal red and white blood cells that can cause leukemia. Bone marrow tests can also be conducted to identify leukemia. The doctor can propose a strategy to take out a specimen of bone marrow from your hipbone. A needle biopsy is used to determine the infection of leukemia in the bone marrow. Aspiration of the bone marrow can also be done to identify leukemia. The diagnostic tool that I have chosen for treating leukemia is the fine-needle aspiration biopsy.

A needle aspiration biopsy is a procedure that involves passing a needle through your skin to collect fluid samples or tissue. The sample or tissue collected is taken for analysis in the laboratory (Yasuda et al., 2012). The tool can be used to diagnose a lump on the breast or a lymph node. The instrument is valid and straightforward. Students' appraisals concerning this instrument are as follows; the procedure is quick and straightforward because it involves collecting the fluid. The tool detects any cancerous infection at an early stage compared to other tools. The instrument is uncomfortable a little compared to other surgical tools that are painful and require general anesthesia. The following are the strength and weaknesses of using a fine needle biopsy. Firstly, it is quick to determine the diagnosis of the affected tissue. Secondly, it involves less pain and has a shorter recovery period compared to other surgical biopsies. Some of the weaknesses of using fine needle biopsy are; some traces of the affected area can be carried to other parts as the needle is being removed. Also, there is a risk of cells being missed for diagnosis when a smaller sample is taken for detection.

The treatment of leukemia is based on numerous factors depending on the doctor's advice. Leukemia's standard treatment includes: chemotherapy, biological therapy, targeted therapy, radiation therapy, and stem therapy. Chemotherapy is used to treat leukemia by administering chemical drugs to kill the infected cells (Robbertz et al., 2020). Biological therapy involves using a treatment method that assists the immune system in detecting and attacking leukemia cells. Targeted therapy requires using drugs that target the infected areas. Radiation therapy entails using X-rays to destroy the leukemia cells and prevent the development of the cells. Stem therapy is a procedure used to remove the affected area and replace it with a fresh part.

Prevention

A large number of people have leukemia across the globe. Scientists have developed strategies and measures of preventing this disease from infecting many people. Smoking causes the highest number of infected people (Fayed, 2020). People should avoid smoking because it contains toxic chemicals such as benzene, which, when inhaled, travels through the bloodstream. People should maintain healthy diets and prevent obesity. A study conducted in 2011 confirms that obesity causes leukemia. Exercising can also reduce the chances of getting leukemia. Exercise keeps the body fit and free from diseases.

Conclusion

To sum, leukemia is diagnosed with the blood cells. The condition causes the malfunction of the blood cells; for example, they lower immunity level. Leukemia affects the marrow bone, which produces the white blood cells in the body. There are different kinds of leukemia, and they can be diagnosed through various tests by medical personnel. Fine needle biopsy is an instrument that can be used to diagnose the infection of leukemia. Leukemia is treatable using multiple methods such as radiation therapy and stem therapy. It can also be prevented by avoiding some lifestyle that causes the risk of contracting the disease.

References

Fayed, L. (2020). Preventing or Reducing the Risk of Leukemia. Retrieved from https://www.verywellhealth.com/leukemia-prevention-514159

Robbertz, A. S., Weiss, D. M., Awan, F. T., Byrd, J. C., Rogers, K. A., & Woyach, J. A. (2020). Identifying risk factors for depression and anxiety symptoms in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Supportive Care in Cancer, 28(4), 1799-1807. Retrieved from https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00520-019-04991-y

Xiao, R., Bergin, S. M., Caligiuri, M. A., & Cao, L. (2017). Enriched environment inhibits progression of acute myeloid leukemia. Retrieved from https://cancerres.aacrjournals.org/content/77/13_Supplement/2817.short

Yasuda, I., Goto, N., Tsurumi, H., Nakashima, M., Doi, S., Iwashita, T., ... & Shimizu, M. (2012). Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy for diagnosis of lymphoproliferative disorders: Feasibility of immunohistology, flow cytometric, and cytogenetic assessments. American Journal of Gastroenterology, 107(3), 397-404. Retrieved from https://www.karger.com/Article/Abstract/447253