Leukemia By:Ashley Druck

Is cancer that starts in the blood, forming tissues such as the bone marrow and causes large numbers of blood cells to be produced and enter the bloodstream.

Definition

Was first diagnosed in 1845 in Scotland. This disease was named Leukemia because

Leukemia means white blood and if you have Leukemia you have a higher count of white blood cells.

History

Healthy Bone Marrow Makes:

When you have Luekemia

White blood cells: Fights infections

Red Blood Cells: Carries oxygen to all parts of the body.

Platelets: Helps your blood clot.

Your body starts to make abnormal white blood cells. They grow faster than normal cells; they don’t stop growing when they should

On the left is normal blood and on the right is Leukemia.

Acute- gets worse very fast, may make you very sick right away.

Chronic- gets worse slowly, may not cause symptoms for years.

Lymphocytic- affects white blood cells called lymphocytes.

Myelogenous-affects white blood cells called myelocytes.

Several Types

They don’t know the cause Risk Factors: Exposed to large amounts of radiation Exposed to certain chemicals Had some type of chemotherapy from

another cancer. Have down syndrome or another genetic

problem Smoke

Causes

Fever/Night Sweats Headaches Bruising or

bleeding easily Bone, joint pain Swollen or painful

stomach Swollen lymph

nodes

Getting lots of infections

Feeling tired or weak

Losing weight or not feeling hungry

Symptoms; Depends on what type you have.

The doctor will ask you questions Do a physical exam Order blood work; look for high levels of

white blood cells and low levels of other cells.

Do a bone marrow biopsy- tells the doctor what type of leukemia you have.

Diagnosed

Treatment Options Chemotherapy: power

medicines to kill cancer cells. Main treatment

Radiation Treatment: high dose of X-Rays to destroy cancer cells

Clinical trials: Research projects to test new medicines and other treatments.

Stem Cell Transplant: Stem cell can rebuild your supply of normal blood cells.

Biological therapy: use of special medicines to improve your body’s natural defenses against cancer.

The mutations were found in GATA2 gene.

This gene acts as master control during the transition of primitive blood forming cells into white blood cells.

Locus/ Linkage

30,000 new cases are discovered every year and 90% of them are found in adults.

Kids can get it to though, they are just more likely to be cured and to live through it.

It is a major cause of death in men ages 15-35.

Kids from ages 2-8 are more likely in getting leukemia but any age kid can develop it.

Age of Onset

Caucasians are more likely to get Leukemia than any other ethnic groups.

Men cover about 56% of new cases each year

Most new occurred cases of cancer in kids under 15 is Leukemia.

Affected Groups

Inheritance Leukemia shows up at random times.

Sometimes inheritance and other environmental factors play a role, but most times it is just random.

There are only a few known cases where the parents pass it down to their kids

Developing new more effective therapies, that is improving survival and a new life quality for patients.

Found when they added the drug Rituxan to the drug fludara it slows the progression of the Leukemia.

Recent Progress

A family friend of mine had Leukemia but before she had Leukemia she had breast cancer and from that she got Leukemia. Hers was getting so bad they really couldn’t do anything. But they were doing research and a clinical study in Florida that they thought might help keep her alive. She left her four young kids here and went to Florida, but there testing couldn’t help her and she died while in Florida. They also tested her family members to see if anyone could give her a bone marrow transplant but none of her family was a match.

Interesting Case

Kidshealth.org http://ezinearticles.com http://depts.washington.edu

http://ic.steadyhealth.com/history_of_leukemia.html

Sciencedaily.com

Work Cited