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by: RichardHEalom
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INTRODUCTION: Leukemia or leukaemia meaning white blood (Greek leukos, white; aima, blood) is a cancer of the blood or bone marrow and is characterized by an abnormal growth of blood cells, usually white blood cells (leukocytes)and is split into its acute and chronic forms.

It can affect the digestive tract,kidneys, lungs, or other parts of the body and can also collect in the testicles causing swelling. Leukemia is one of the most common cancers of children, But isn't just a children's disease, as many think.

It is diagnosed in about 29,000 adults and 2000 children each year in the US and has four primary types and many sub-types of which only a few of them are common in children.

Leukemia that has spread to the brain can produce central nervous system disorders, including headaches, weakness, blurred or distorted vision, seizures, balance difficulties, or vomiting and the drugs used to treat it, can cause anemia.

ACUTE LEUKEMIA: Acute leukemia is characterized by the rapid increase of immature blood cells, and is a potentially curable disease; However only a small number of patients are cured with current therapy. It begins with one or a few white blood cells that have a lost or damaged DNA sequence and gets worse very fast and may make you feel sick right away.

It tends to develop suddenly, whereas some chronic varieties may exist for years before they are even diagnosed. Immediate treatment is required due to the rapid progression and accumulation of the malignant cells, which then spill over into the bloodstream and spread to other organs of the body.

Although acute leukemia must be treated immediately, chronic forms of the disease are sometimes monitored for some time before any treatment is begun to ensure maximum effectiveness of therapy.

CHRONIC LEUKEMIA: Chronic leukemia is recognized by excessive build up of relatively mature, but still abnormal, blood cells and can go undetected for many years until it is identified in a routine blood test. It is more common between the ages of 40 and 70 and rarely occurs among young people.

It tends to gets worse slowly and may not cause symptoms for years. Like many other cancers, it is a disease of old age. Doctors often find chronic leukemia during a routine checkup, before there are any noticeable symptoms. In adults, the acute forms occur in those of all ages, whereas the chronic varieties tend to occur in people older than 40 years. Although slow-growing chronic leukemia may also be seen in children, it is very rare, accounting for fewer than 50 cases in children each year in the United States.

TREATMENT: Treatment for leukemia is complex and it depends largely on age and health, the type and how far it has spread in the body. Treatment is usually considered necessary when the patient shows signs and symptoms such as low blood cell count. Generally speaking, all treatment is divided into several different phases. In children, an intensive 6-month treatment program is needed followed by 2 years of chemotherapy.

For children with low-risk, standard therapy usually consists of three drugs (prednisone, L-asparaginase, and vincristine) for the first month of treatment. High-risk patients receive higher drug doses plus treatment with extra chemotherapeutic agents. Follow-up therapy for ALL patients usually consists of: supportive care, such as intravenous nutrition and treatment with oral antibiotics.

In general, the indications for treatment are: declining hemoglobin or platelet count, progression to advance stages of the disease, painful and disease related over-growth of lymph nodes or spleen, lymphocyte doubling time (an indicator of lymphocyte reproduction) occuring in less than twelve months. The over all strategy is to control bone marrow and total body disease while using specific treatment for the central nervous system (CNS), when necessary. Maintenance treatments may be used to prevent re-ocurrence of the disease once remission has been accomplished. Regardless the plan or strategy, it is very important for the patient to understand the treatment that he or she is receiving and the reasons behind it.

CONCLUSION: Leukemia is a cancer of blood forming cells in the bone marrow. These cells crowd out other types of cells produced by the bone marrow, including red blood cells, which carry oxygen throughout your body, and platelets, which are used to form blood clots.

Leukemia cells can spread to the lymph nodes or other organs causing swelling and/or pain and can also collect in the kidney, liver and spleen, causing enlargement of these organs. They also can affect the lungs and other parts of the body. Acute forms can occur in children and young adults. Chronic forms mostly occurs in older people, but can theoretically occur in any age group.

To date there is no single known cause that covers all of the different types of leukemia. Some studies have linked exposure to various chemicals agents, such as benzene, and hair dyes for the cause of some forms of the disease. Viruses have also been linked to other forms. Until such cause or causes are found, there is no known way to prevent the occurrence of the disease. The estimation as of 1998, is that each year, approximately 30,800 people will be diagnosed with Leukemia in the USA and about 21,700 will die of the disease.