All About Leukemia

Leukemia is a cancer of the white blood cells, also called leukocytes. White blood cells, a component of the blood made in the bone marrow, function to defend the body against infections. In leukemia, abnormal white blood cells outnumber the normal ones. This disrupts the ability of white blood cells to protect the body from infections.

Leukemia are classified as either acute or chronic. In acute leukemia, the number of abnormal cells increases rapidly, and the patient’s condition worsens quickly. On the other hand, chronic leukemia may not show any symptoms at first. As the number of abnormal white blood cells increase, the leukemia slowly worsens.

People exposed to very high levels of radiation are much more likely to develop leukemia. Sources of high-level radiation are atomic explosions, nuclear plant accidents, and, ironically, therapeutic radiation for cancer.

According to the National Cancer Institute, leukemia may have the following symptoms:

* Fevers or night sweats
* Frequent infections
* Feeling weak or tired
* Headache
* Bleeding gums, purplish patches in the skin, or tiny red spots under the skin
* Joint pain
* Swelling or discomfort in the abdomen (from an enlarged spleen)
* Swollen lymph nodes, especially in the neck or armpit
* Weight loss