Leukemia is a malignancy that can be chronic or acute.
The most common forms of these cancers are chronic leukemias are divided into three types: chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and non-Hodgkins lymphoma (NHL) that there is great variety. With CML LLC and can survive fifteen or even twenty years while with lymphoma survival and much more variable. The rare mantle cell lymphoma (lymphoma or mantle cell), for example, the median survival is
two to three years.
All these cancers have their origins in a genetic mutation that stop apoptosis, the programmed suicide, leukocytes, the white blood cells. Accordingly leukocytes proliferate at the expense of erythrocytes, red blood cells and thrombocytes or platelets.
To understand the consequences of this proliferation is useful to know the functions of blood elements
Red blood cells are the main element. They carry oxygen and carbon monoxide around the body.
White blood cells involved in immune defense of the organism, and they have several mechanisms to fight against the development of micro-organisms (bacteria, viruses, parasites) by immune responses antigen-specific and nonspecific reactions. The primary role of platelets is to ensure the coagulation of blood
For a deeper study see Glossary letter S “BLOOD”.
Diagnostic Procedures
Blood analysis
For most patients the initial diagnosis of leukemia will come from a blood test following a levy Other blood tests will follow to monitor disease progression and to assess the effectiveness of treatment. This analysis involves a comparison with the condition of normal blood by an account of different cells. These standards are difficult to specify since they differ by age and sex and also according to the elevation of the place or residence of the patient. The accounts go up with rising
Lymphoid leukemia
In lymphoid leukemia, the malignant proliferation of white blood cells mature lymphocytes concerns. The disease, well supported at the beginning, can long remain inconspicuous. It is limited to a generalized enlargement of lymph nodes and spleen.
The diagnosis is made at a blood count which shows the existence of a lymphocytosis between 60 and 95%. The treatment of this form of leukemia is not always necessary, regular monitoring to determine the start of treatment according to changes in blood counts, changes being made on more than ten years.
Myeloid leukemia
Myeloid leukemia resulting from the proliferation in the blood and bone marrow white blood cells of the granulocytic series. They are manifested clinically by splenomegaly, associated with an impaired general condition. The count of the blood cells allows the diagnosis by showing a very significant elevation of white blood cells, their number usually exceeds 100 000 per cubic millimeter. Chemotherapy achieves remission more or less prolonged, but after several years of evolution, the emergence of young cells (or blasts) in the blood indicates that acute leukemia is a fatal prognosis shortly.
The acute leukemia
The acute form of leukemia characterized by proliferation in the blood and bone marrow, blood cells of the white line in their immature form: the leucoblastes. According to their morphology suggests the myeloblast or lymphoblast, leukemia called acute lymphoblastic or myeloblastic.
Demonstrations
The normal blood are significantly reduced: platelets, red cells, white cells mature. All of these abnormalities explain the clinical signs of the disease: sudden onset of an infectious state (by polymorphonuclear fall for the defense agency) and signs of bleeding (by fall of platelet). Clinical examination reveals an enlarged spleen and all lymph nodes.
The chemotherapy can prevent the fatal outcome in the short term. There successive remissions of varying length, and even cases of complete recovery.
Treatments
The treatment of blood cancers are chemotherapy, monoclonal antibodies and grafting and less often. radiotherapy.
