Leukemia: A Fatal and Difficult to Diagnose Blood Cancer

What Is Leukemia?

First of all, let’s figure out leukemia’s meaning or leukemia’s definition. Most of us know that it’s a type of blood cancer. However, let’s delve a little deeper and understand how leukemia starts developing inside a human body. 

Leukemia’s growth is characterized by the rapid growth of abnormal white blood cells (WBCs). This uncontrolled growth takes place in your bone marrow, where most of your body’s blood gets produced.

Leukemia cells are usually immature (still developing) white blood cells. These white blood cells overpower the red blood cells (RBCs) and platelets that your body needs to be healthy. 

Leukemia is different from other types of cancers as it doesn’t generally form a mass (tumor) that shows up in imaging tests such as X-rays, CT, or PET scans.

Types of Leukemia

After understanding leukemia’s meaning, let us have a look at the different types of leukemia. There are four main types of leukemia and several subtypes. Some are found in adults, some in children and some in both. Before we look at the types of leukemia, let’s look at the major classifications.

By the speed of disease progression

• Acute leukemia: In acute leukemia, the leukemia cells divide rapidly and the disease progresses quickly. If you have acute leukemia, you’ll feel sick within a few weeks of the formation of leukemia cells. Acute leukemia is life-threatening and requires immediate commencement of chemotherapy. It is the most common type of cancer in children.

• Chronic leukemia: Chronic leukemia involves more mature blood cells. These blood cells replicate or accumulate relatively slowly and can function normally for a period. Some types of chronic leukemia show no early symptoms and can go unnoticed or undiagnosed for years. Normally, chronic leukemia worsens slowly compared to acute leukemia. It is more common in adults than in children.

By cell type

• Myelogenous or myeloid leukemia: This type of leukemia affects the myeloid cells. Myeloid cells are responsible for the growth of RBCs, WBCs, and platelet-producing cells.

• Lymphocytic leukemia: This type of leukemia develops from lymphoid cells. Normal lymphoid cells develop into white blood cells and affect lymphocytes, which form lymphoid or lymphatic tissue. Lymphatic tissue makes up your immune system.

Now, let’s have a look at the four main types of leukemia:

• Acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL): It is the most common type of leukemia found in children, teens, and adults up to the age of 39. However, ALL can affect adults of any age.

• Acute myelogenous leukemia (AML): It is the most common type of acute leukemia in adults and is more common in older adults (those over 65). AML can also be found in children.

• Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL): It’s the most common type of chronic leukemia found in adults (most common in people over 65). In CLL, symptoms may not appear for several years.

• Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML): This type of leukemia is usually found in adults. A person with CML may have few or no symptoms for months or years before entering a phase in which the leukemia cells grow rapidly.

How Does Leukemia Develop?

Leukemia begins in bone marrow, where your body’s blood cells are produced. In general, it is assumed that leukemia develops when some blood cells acquire changes (mutations) in their genetic material or DNA. A cell’s DNA contains instructions that tell a cell what to do. Usually, the DNA tells the cells to grow at a fixed rate and to die at a fixed time. In the case of leukemia, the mutations tell the blood cells to continue growing and dividing.

When this happens, blood cell production goes out of control. Over time, these abnormal cells crowd out healthy blood cells in the bone marrow, leading to the development of fewer healthy white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets.

What is the First Sign of Leukemia?

Different types of leukemia can cause different problems of varying severity. You might not notice any symptoms in the early stages in some cases. Given below are the various leukemia symptoms found in adults:

• Weakness or fatigue

• Fever or chills

• Infections that are severe or keep coming back

• Bruising or bleeding easily

• Pain in your bones or joints

• Vomiting

• Headaches

• Seizures

• Night sweats

• Shortness of breath

• Weight loss

• Swollen lymph nodes or organs

What Causes Leukemia in Adults?

So far, it has been difficult to figure out what exactly causes leukemia. You can’t prevent leukemia, but there are certain things that may trigger it. You might have a higher risk if you:

• Are exposed to a lot of radiation or certain chemicals

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