Adults may develop acute myeloid leukemia as they age. This form of leukemia is not common in children. “Myeloid” means the cells originate from the bone marrow or spinal cord. It is rare on people under the age of 40, adults are usually diagnosed at age 65. Myeloid leukemia is caused mostly by carcinogens, or [...]
After a complete blood count, a bone marrow aspiration will be done to see if there are leukemia cells. If the doctor confirms leukemia, more tests will be done to identify the specific type of acute myeloid leukemia, which has eight sub-types. Chemotherapy may be considered, although it also kills healthy cells, and may cause [...]
Prevention is a better solution than cure. There are numerous cases where cancer is diagnosed in patients that are already at a terminal stage, where even aggressive treatments can no longer help the patient. A regular medical check up helps in early diagnosis. Simple illnesses and discomforts should not be ignored, as these may lead [...]
A website provides a detailed list of the symptoms of leukemia. While most of these symptoms are common illnesses, awareness that these may lead to, or is already caused by leukemia might just save a life. Here are some of the symptoms: – fever – chills – flu-like symptoms – anemia – bleeding easily – [...]
In the US, approximately 600 teens between ages 15 and 19 are diagnosed with cancer. The most common cancers in teens are Hodgkin’s disease, germ cell tumors, central-nervous system tumors, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, thyroid cancer, malignant melanoma and acute lymphoblastic leukemia. It was shown that teeners and young adults that participate in pediatric clinical trials have [...]
Stem cells for transplant are sourced from the patient himself, or from a donor. Peripheral blood stem cells are collected through a process called apheresis, where the blood is taken from the donor through a needle in one arm, then is placed in a machine that separates the white blood cells from the red blood [...]
Once the patient decides to undergo a bone marrow transplant, preparations should be done to make sure that the operation will become a success. The patient should be healthy enough prior to the operation. Several tests will be done on the patient’s organs as a basis after the transplant, whether the organs are affected by [...]
A drug used to treat multiple sclerosis, Mitoxantrone an immunosuppressant has been found to heighten the risks of contracting leukemia as a side effect. The drug has been approved by the FDA and the side-effect is due to new research onto the interaction of the drug and the body’s response to it. High dosage of [...]
Military personnel and people who work with radioactive compounds each and every day accept the fact that leukemia, often a risk of their jobs. New research in the use and administration of biphosphates to counteract the effects of radiation induced leukemia is proving promising to help reduce job related-risks for such people. People who work [...]
Researchers have recently discovered that a drug used to treat drug addiction, methadone has a very desirable effect on leukemia cells, killing them while not affecting the normal ones. This comes as a surprise for not only does it kill leukemia cells, it has also shown effectivity against forms of the disease that have previously [...]