Understanding Blood Cancer
Blood cancer or leukemia is a cancer that attacks the cells that form blood cells in the bone marrow. In normal conditions, the white blood cells will grow on a regular basis at the time the body needs to fight infection appear.
Yet another case with people with blood cancer. The bone marrow to produce white blood cells that is abnormal, it can not function properly, and to excess. Excessive amount will result in a buildup in the bone marrow cells of healthy blood will be reduced.
Types of Blood Cancer
There are various types of blood cancer. Based on the speed of its development, this cancer can be classified into acute and chronic.Acute blood cancer growing rapidly due to increasing the number of abnormal white blood cells that rapidly and spread into the bloodstream. This type must be dealt with immediately.
Meanwhile, chronic blood cancer develops slowly and in the long term. Symptoms tend not immediate so that newly diagnosed after years. White blood cells that should have died will be alive and accumulate in the blood, bone marrow, and other organs involved.
Blood cancer can also be categorized according to the type of white blood cell that is attacked. Blood cancer that attacks the lymph cells known as leukemia limfotik and attacking cells called myeloid leukemia mielogen.
Based on the above two groupings, there are four types of blood cancer most often occurs. Here is an explanation for each type.
Limfotik acute leukemia or acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL)
ALL can inhibit lymphocyte function so that infected potentially serious infections. Blood cancer is generally diidap by children, but adults may also be attacked.
Mielogen acute leukemia or acute myelogenous leukemia (AML)
It is a type of blood cancer that primarily affects adults. AML but also can diidap by children and adolescents. This cancer will form myeloid cells are not perfect and can clog blood vessels.
Limfotik chronic leukemia or chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)
This type of blood cancer only experienced by adults. CLL usually detected at an advanced stage because patients tend not feel the symptoms for a long time.
Mielogen Chronic leukemia or chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML)
This type of blood cancer generally affects adults. CML has two stages. In the first stage, abnormal cells will grow slowly. Then upon entering the second phase, the number of abnormal cells increases rapidly so that the patient's condition will decrease drastically.
In general, a blood cancer or leukemia occur as a result of the production of white blood cells is too fast so many cells are still not completely formed and eventually the immune sufferer is not functioning optimally.
Symptoms of Blood Cancer
Symptoms of blood cancer is very diverse. Each sufferer usually experience different indications, depending on the type of blood cancer pathway.
Indications of this cancer also tend to be difficult to identify due to be similar to other conditions, such as flu. Therefore, we need to be aware of the common symptoms are not getting better or subside, such as:
- Limp or ongoing fatigue.
- Fever.
- Chills.
- Headache.
- Throws up.
- Excessive sweating, especially at night.
- Pain in the bones or joints.
- Weight loss.
- Swelling of the lymph stains, liver, or spleen.
- Infection appears severe or frequent.
- Easy bleeding (eg, frequent nosebleeds) or bruises.
- Red spots appear on the skin.
The basic cause of blood cancer is not known with certainty. But there are a number of factors are expected to increase a person's risk for this cancer. Factors triggering blood cancers include:
- Heredity. If you have family members who suffer from blood cancer, your risk for developing the same cancer will increase.
- Genetic disorders, such as Down syndrome.
- Had undergone cancer treatment. Certain chemotherapy or radiotherapy could be expected to trigger a blood cancer.
- Effect of blood disorder that affects, for example myelodysplastic syndrome.
- Never experienced a high level of exposure to radiation or certain chemicals. For example, people who have been involved in accidents relating to nuclear reactors or undergo chemical substances such as benzene exposure.
- Smoke. Smoking not only increases the risk of blood cancer (leukemia mielogen especially acute), but also a variety of other diseases.
- Diagnosis and Treatment of Blood Cancer
- At the initial stage, the doctor will ask the symptoms that existed before checking your physical condition. If you suspect you are suffering from blood cancers, such as swelling in the lymph stains, liver, or spleen, doctors will recommend more detailed examination that includes blood tests and a bone marrow biopsy.
Blood tests will show the levels of abnormal white blood cells. While bone marrow biopsy is used to confirm the presence of cancer cells in blood. The procedure is done by taking a sample of bone marrow is also used to determine the type of blood cancer.
After a positive blood cancer diagnosis, the doctor will discuss the appropriate treatment measures. The type of treatment that you will live depends on many factors, including your age and health conditions as well as the type and stage of cancer of the blood that you are contracting. Here is a method of treatment is generally recommended for handling blood cancer.
Chemotherapy to kill cancer cells.
- Radiotherapy to destroy and inhibit the growth of cancer cells.
- Therapy focused on attacking vulnerable parts of cancer cells.
- Biological therapies to help the immune system recognize and attack cancer cells.
- A stem cell transplant or a stem cell to the replacement of the bone marrow that has been damaged by the sound.
- The stem cells used can come from your own body or the body of another person as a donor. Chemotherapy or radiotherapy usually be performed as a preparatory step before undergoing the transplant procedure.
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