Leukemia: The Disease and The Treatment

Leukemia is a cancer that affects bone marrow. Bone marrow is the place where platelets, erythrocytes and white blood cells (white blood cells) are made. Leukemia is caused by the rapid production (proliferation) of leukocytes and causes accumulation that inhibits red blood cells that act on platelets and prevent other leukocytes from combating infection. Because of abnormally rapid production, these cells are not matured or can not function properly and can not function.

Depending on the rate of disease progression and the type of abnormal cells produced, there are various types of leukemia. If leukemia develops rapidly, it is called acute leukemia. Large amounts of leukemia cells rapidly accumulate in the blood and bone marrow, cause fatigue, it becomes vulnerable and it becomes easy to infect. Acute leukemia requires rapid and aggressive treatment. Leukemia is further classified as bone marrow or lymph, depending on the type of white blood cells that make up the leukemic cells. In order to understand various kinds of leukemia, a basic understanding about the normal development of blood cells is necessary. Normal blood cells arise from stem cells that are prone to many cell types. Bone marrow stem cells mature within the bone marrow and become immature white blood cells called bone marrow cells. These bone marrow cells further mature into erythrocytes, platelets or certain leukocytes.

Leukemia is a disease characterized by abnormal leukocyte formation and no treatment has been found. Leukemia is also characterized by abnormal leukocyte conversion of normal hematopoietic cells, its unrestricted proliferation overwhelmingly replaces normal bone marrow and blood cells. Leukemia is named according to normal cells from which they derive, such as lymphocytic leukemia. Lymphocytic leukemia is where lymphocytes are converted to leukemia cells. Another example of leukemia is myeloid cells or (granulocytic leukemia). This occurs when bone marrow cells are changed or transformed into leukemia cells. There are various types of leukemia under the microscope, and many proteins are included. These leukemias are usually very severe and require immediate medical attention. The current number of new cases in the United States is about 25 people per 100,000 people.