blood disorder
Leukemia a Blood Disorder
Leukemia is a blood cancer in which there is an abnormal production or multiplication of blood cells, to be more specific white blood cells also called leukocytes. It belongs to a large group of blood disorders called "hematological neoplasms".
The symptoms that individuals may notice are night sweats, flu-like symptoms, fever and chills, a general weakness or feeling of fatigue, swollen or bleeding gums, headaches, an enlarged liver and spleen, bone pain, joint pain and frequent infections. They may also experience dizziness, nausea or vomiting, swollen tonsils, paleness of skin, unexplained weight loss and diarrhea.
Individuals with leukemia typically have high number of white blood cells, or extra white blood cells that are immature in shape or are dysfunctional. The presence of these abnormal cells creates an imbalance in the blood count.
There are different types of leukemia. Although there is no single cause for all the different types of leukemia, researchers suspect that certain chemicals in our environment may be a contributing cause, viruses may also have a role in developing leukemia and there may also be a genetic predisposition for this type of blood disorder.
It is difficult to pinpoint how to prevent something when there is no clear-cut cause for the blood disorder.
There are many treatment options for those suffering from leukemia. Managing the disease is based on controlling bone marrow and systemic disease, and preventing the spread of leukemic cells to other sites in the body, especially to prevent them from spreading to the central nervous system (CNS).
There are phases to the treatment of the blood disorder including induction chemotherapy in order to bring bone marrow into remission. Drugs used for induction chemotherapy include prednisone, vincristine, and anthracycline. Next is the consolidation therapy or intensification therapy which is a high-dose multi-drug treatment using antimetabolite drugs, and 6-mercaptopurine. Preventative therapy of CNS prophylaxis which helps to stem the spread of the blood cancer, which may include radiation of the head and drugs, delivered directly to the spine. Maintenance treatments for up to three years once remission has been achieved. High risk or relapsed patients may face allogeneic bone marrow transplantation.
There are different types of treatment for the different types of leukemia. The different types of leukemia include acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), acute myelogenous leukemia (AML), chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), and also hairy cell leukemia (HCL).
Because leukemia is a broad-spectrum umbrella for different types all with different treatments it is important to understand what type of leukemia pertains to the individual. This is definitely not a one size fits all blood disorder. Leukemia strikes individuals of all ages even the very young. It is sad when the very young are struck down before they really have a chance to enjoy life. Blood disorders are serious because they deal with what is vital to life – blood.
Tags: leukemia, blood disorder, hairly cell leukemia
Can You Tell Me About Aplastic Anemia?
There is a rare and very serious blood disorder called, "Aplastic Anemia". It occurs when the bone marrow stops manufacturing new blood cells. These blood cells are called, "stem cells". Stem cells consist of platelets, white blood cells and red blood cells. Each of these different types of blood cells has a unique function within the body. The body needs the bone marrow to make new blood cells consistently because cells do not live forever. The red blood cells live about 120 days, the platelets live about 6 days and the white blood cells only live for less than a day. When the red blood cell count is too low, the condition is usually referred to as anemia. When a person has the blood disorder, aplastic anemia, the production of all types of blood cells (red, white and platelets) is too low or the manufacture of all the cells has stopped. This condition is because the stem cells have been damaged. There is no known cause for this blood disorder.
When an individual has aplastic anemia the body is not getting enough oxygen-rich blood that it needs to all the organs of the body. Red blood cells also have the function of removing carbon dioxide from the cells. Carbon dioxide is a waste product that is taken from the blood and carried to the lungs where it is then exhaled out of the body. Individuals with aplastic anemia feel tired all the time, have a heart that has to work harder to pump the blood to all the body’s organs and tissues and this causes a stress over time and can then cause the heart to beat irregularly or too fast; which may result in an enlarged heart, or may cause heart failure. If the body has too few white blood cells, the body is unable to fight off infection properly and the individual will contract illnesses and infections. The platelets are needed to form blood clots that help stop bleeding within the blood vessels. Without properly formed blood clots the individual can bleed to death.
Thankfully aplastic anemia is a rare blood disorder. Approximately only 500 to 1,000 individuals in the U.S. develop aplastic anemia each year. In the Asian countries this number doubles or triples.
There are two types of aplastic anemia: acquired and hereditary. Aplastic anemia can be acquired or triggered by toxic chemicals, chemotherapy medications, radiation, or viral infections. The direct cause of aplastic anemia is still not known.
An individual can develop aplastic anemia slowly or it can develop suddenly. It often gets worse over time. You can get mild, moderate or severe aplastic anemia. A doctor treating the individual for aplastic anemia will check the blood count frequently and adjust treatment accordingly. Treatments for aplastic anemia include blood transfusions, bone marrow transplants, and medications to suppress the immune system, stimulate the production of stem cells, and to treat infections.
Tags: aplastic anemia, blood disorder
