100% found this document useful (1 vote) 601 views 28 pages Which of the following complications are the main consequences of leukemia.docx © © All Rights Reserved DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd Did you find this document useful?100% found this document useful (1 vote) 601 views28 pages Which of The Following Complications Are The Main Consequences of LeukemiaOriginal Title:Which of the following complications are the main consequences of leukemia.docx Leukemia is a cancer of the white blood cells, which are the cells that help fight infection. The disease develops in the bone marrow. The bone marrow is the soft, spongy center of bones and is where blood cells are produced. There are different kinds of leukemia. They are distinguished by how long it takes for the disease to progress (acute or chronic) and the type of white blood cell involved (lymphocyte or myelocyte). Leukemia is the most common form of childhood cancer. Types of LeukemiaThere are three main types of leukemia. They are categorized by how fast they develop and by the kind of white blood cell involved.
“Acute” means sudden − coming on in days or weeks. “Chronic” means gradual − coming on over months or years. Lymphocytes and myelocytes are two different kinds of white blood cell. How Does Leukemia Develop?When a child has leukemia, the bone marrow, for an unknown reason, begins to make faulty white blood cells. Normally, the body can regulate the production of cells by sending signals for when to stop producing more. Leukemia cells do not respond to the body’s signals. These cells go on reproducing themselves, even when there’s no more space in the bone marrow. The bone marrow doesn’t just make infection fighting white blood cells. It also makes red blood cells and platelets. Red blood cells carry oxygen to all parts of the body. Platelets help with blood clotting to stop bleeding. In leukemia, the abnormal white cells reproduce very quickly and do not fight infection well. These faulty white blood cells, called blasts, crowd the bone marrow. This can mean that not enough red blood cells or platelets are made. All this trouble in the bone marrow results in the symptoms of leukemia. These may include tiredness and problems with infections and bruising or bleeding. Bone pain can also occur as the bone marrow expands. How Common Is Leukemia?Leukemia is the most common form of cancer in childhood. It affects approximately 3,000 children each year in the United States. Leukemia accounts for about 30 percent of childhood cancers. While leukemia can occur at any age, it is most commonly seen in children between 2 and 6 years old. The disease occurs slightly more often in males than in females. It is most commonly seen in Caucasian children. What Causes Leukemia?Most childhood leukemias are caused by chance mutations in the genes of white blood cells. Except for rare genetic cases, little is known about the causes of these diseases. Scientists are hard at work trying to learn how these mutations happen. The immune system plays a key role in protecting the body from diseases. A fault in the immune system may increase the risk for getting leukemia. Things like getting certain viruses or other infections can lower immunity. Toxins in the environment or exposure to chemicals may also make the immune system weaker. Associated Disorders / ConditionsCertain conditions may increase a child’s risk of developing leukemia.
What Are the Symptoms of Leukemia?Leukemia is cancer of the bone marrow, where blood is formed. The early symptoms are often related to problems with the bone marrow. While this list shows the common symptoms of leukemia, they are also common symptoms of other disorders. Always consult your child's doctor for a diagnosis.
Diagnosis of LeukemiaIn addition to a complete medical history and physical exam, a number of tests may be used for diagnosis. Some of these helps identify the exact type of cancer. Others are to find out whether the leukemia has invaded any specific organs of the body. All of this information is used to come up with the best treatment plan.
StagesUnlike some other cancers, leukemia is not divided into stages. Instead, patients are assigned to risk groups depending on their age and the type of leukemia they have. Risk groups help determine treatment. Treatment for LeukemiaTreatment for leukemia varies. Your child's doctor will decide what to do based on your child’s risk level. The risk level depends on:
Treatment usually begins by taking care of the first symptoms. These are often anemia (too few red blood cells), bleeding and / or infection. Treatment for leukemia may also include:
What Are Clinical Trials?Clinical trials are programs to test new therapies that may or may not turn out to be medical breakthroughs. Before being tested in humans, new drugs are tested thoroughly in the lab. A trial is the final step in deciding whether a new therapy is effective and safe in humans. Research may look for better ways to target the disease more accurately. It also may look for new ways to use antibodies, and better stem cell transplant methods. Phases of Leukemia TreatmentThere are various phases in the treatment of leukemia. These are: InductionDuring the induction phase, chemotherapy and medications are given. Sometimes radiation is included, too. The idea is to kill the leukemia cells in the blood as well as their parent cells in the bone marrow. The goal of the induction phase is remission. “Remission” means the leukemia cells are no longer being made. The Induction phase may last about a month and can be repeated if the goal is not reached. Consolidation / IntensificationTreatment is continued even though leukemia cells may not be visible. Though the leukemia cells may not be seen in a blood test or bone marrow examination, it is still possible that the cells are present in the body. The goal of this phase is to kill off any remaining cancer cells. MaintenanceDuring the maintenance phase, less intense chemotherapy is given over a long time. This phase can last months to several years. The goal of this phase is to prevent a relapse. Regular visits to your child's doctor are required. This is to make sure the treatment is working and to check for any recurrent disease. These visits are also needed to take care of any side effects of the treatment. Relapsed, Refractory or Recurrent LeukemiaRelapse is when the bone marrow begins to make cancer cells again. There is no way to predict this. It can happen at any phase of treatment. It may also occur months or years after treatment has ended. The expected outcome and treatment options after relapse depend on several things. One is the length of time between the diagnosis and when the leukemia comes back. The expected outcome and next steps also depend on where the leukemia reappears. Sometimes it is just seen in the bone marrow. However, it may come back in other parts of the body as well. What Is the Outlook for a Child with Leukemia?The prognosis for leukemia greatly depends on:
The outlook and long-term survival are different for every cancer. Getting to a doctor and starting aggressive therapy quickly are key for the best outcome. A child with leukemia needs constant follow-up. Survivors can suffer from side effects of radiation and chemotherapy. Other cancers can occur as well. These may include skin, breast, brain / spine, thyroid gland, bone or other blood cancers. Monitoring for these diseases is crucial. Developing healthy habits like eating right and not smoking is important, too. New methods are being found every day to improve treatment and to decrease side effects from the treatment for this disease. The term five-year survival rate means the percentage of patients who live at least five years after their cancer is diagnosed. With acute leukemias, these patients are probably cured. It is very rare for leukemia to return later than this. Current five-year survival rates are based on large numbers of children who were treated more than five years ago. These rates really can’t predict what will happen in your child’s case. Every child and every cancer are different. Also, because treatments change all the time, the survival rates from treatment done five or more years ago may not truly reflect today’s survival rates. What Are the Long-Term Complications?Childhood cancer and its treatment can create health problems later in life. This may mean a higher risk for heart, lung and kidney disease. It may also mean mental or emotional problems, issues with reproduction, or new cancers (See section on Outlook). As they grow older, childhood cancer survivors can use help to stay on top of these risks. For this reason, 25 years ago, Cincinnati Children’s founded the first US Cancer Survivorship Program. This program gives medical care and mental and social support to childhood cancer survivors, into adulthood. Patients are welcome whether they were treated at Cincinnati Children’s or not. Call Your Doctor If:Caring for a youngster being treated for leukemia requires constant attention. Call 513-517-CBDI (2234), 24 hours a day 7 days a week to be connected with a member of the team. You should call your doctor, nurse or the oncologist on call immediately if your child, adolescent or young adult (has):
If your child has contact with anyone who is newly diagnosed with chickenpox or shingles, call the clinic / oncologist on call within 24 hours. Make sure their teacher(s) and school nurse notify you if your child has been exposed to these viruses. Other reminders:
What are the three most common complications of leukaemia?If you have acute leukaemia, you'll bleed and bruise more easily because of the low levels of platelets (clot-forming cells) in your blood.. inside the skull (intracranial haemorrhage). inside the lungs (pulmonary haemorrhage). inside the stomach (gastrointestinal haemorrhage). What are some complications of leukemia?Complications. Frequent infections. If you have chronic lymphocytic leukemia, you may experience frequent infections that can be serious. ... . A switch to a more aggressive form of cancer. ... . Increased risk of other cancers. ... . Immune system problems.. What are 3 causes of leukemia?Risk factors. Previous cancer treatment. People who've had certain types of chemotherapy and radiation therapy for other cancers have an increased risk of developing certain types of leukemia.. Genetic disorders. ... . Exposure to certain chemicals. ... . Smoking. ... . Family history of leukemia.. What are the outcomes of leukemia?The 5-year relative survival rate for all types of leukemia is 65 percent, according to the National Cancer Institute (NCI) .
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