leukemia or. blood cancer is a relatively rare type of cancer, but its effects can be very dangerous and life-threatening. Nevertheless, leukemia can be cured these days with timely treatment.
What is leukemia, blood cancer?
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leukemia or. blood cancer is a life-threatening disease that can lead to death in a short time without treatment by a specialist. The tricky thing about the disease is that in the early stages there are no symptoms of the blood cancer to be seen. The course of the disease without symptoms in chronic leukemia can extend over several years.
The patient feels healthy and does not notice what dangerous illness he is carrying. The division of blood cancer into different forms results from the morphological and immunological properties. There are different forms of leukemia: acute myeloid leukemia, (AML), acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), chronic myeloid leukemia (CML).
Myeloid leukemias start from the progenitor cells. Rare forms of blood cancer are polycythemia vera (PV) and essential thrombocythemia (ET). In polycythemia vera (PV), the increase in erythrocytes in the blood precedes it and other cell lines are also affected. In contrast, essential thrombocythemia is exclusively a platelet cancer.
causes
The causes of the Blood cancer or. leukemia have not yet been finally clarified. It is difficult to find the cause, especially in acute forms of this disease. Under no circumstances should the disease take place in one Connection with pathogenic facts. Rather, there are potentially triggering factors.
For example chemicals of all kinds. Or previous treatment with cytostatics. Ionizing radiation and viruses of the most diverse origins represent a particular danger. In addition, the familial genetic predisposition represents an increased risk of developing blood cancer. What is certain is that radioactive radiation is a trigger for leukemia.
This can be a short-term high pollution such as an atomic disaster or a long-term low pollution such as the emission of a nuclear reprocessing plant. But there are also other factors that should not be underestimated that can lead to blood cancer. Above all, smoking and too much negative stress should be mentioned here.
The disease itself is not tied to any age, even children are not spared from it. Every year up to 600 new children develop this disease, the causes are largely unknown. There are current studies by the children's cancer registry in Mainz that have found that Down's disease promotes the development of blood cancer. A low risk arises from ionizing and non-ionizing radiation. Negatives Factors are excessive birth weight and sterility treatment before pregnancy.
Symptoms, ailments & signs
In the initial phase, leukemia becomes noticeable with very unspecific symptoms such as fatigue, reduced performance, noticeable pale skin and fatigue. Other signs may include dizziness, profuse night sweats, and headaches. Frequent bleeding from the gums or nose, small hemorrhages in the skin (petechiae) or an increased tendency to bruise suggest an increased tendency to bleeding, which together with a disturbance of the general condition can indicate leukemia.
Other warning signs include persistent increases in body temperature for no apparent cause, enlarged lymph nodes, and weight loss. Due to the disturbed immune defense, infections occur more frequently, and many sufferers complain of shortness of breath that sets in even with little exertion. In the neck, groin and armpits in particular, swollen lymph nodes can be palpated; as the disease progresses, the spleen and liver are usually palpably enlarged.
Bone pain and unclear skin rashes are also occasionally associated with leukemia. In addition to headaches, involvement of the meninges can also result in visual disturbances, increased sensitivity to light, nausea and vomiting. While the symptoms worsen quickly in acute leukemia, they can remain constant for a long time in the chronic forms of the disease. Chronic leukemia often causes no symptoms in the beginning and is only discovered by chance during a blood test.
Typical symptoms:
- Loss of appetite
- Dizziness
- Racing heart
- Shortness of breath
- constantly tired
- pale skin
- punctiform, small bleeding under the skin
- Weight loss for no apparent reason
- mild, persistent fever, although there is no infection
- Bone pain
- Sweats, mostly at night
- frequent infections, i.e. weak immune system
- swollen lymph nodes, e.g. under the armpits and groin
Course of disease
The course at leukemia looks like a lot of leukemia cells in the blood can be detected by a blood test at the doctor. There are also physical symptoms, such as tiredness and physical exhaustion. Once the disease is diagnosed, it is important to do regular blood and bone marrow tests to see how many leukemia cells are multiplying.
The patient often notices a constant drop in performance and a tendency to bleeding or stubborn infections in everyday life. Disturbed organ functions can cause additional complaints. In order to alleviate the effects and side effects of the disease, regular check-ups with a specialist are very important. The sooner the patient decides to start treatment, the greater the chances of recovery.
Complications
Leukemia can cause a number of complications. This risk exists especially when the immune system is severely weakened. Because of this, patients are extremely susceptible to infection, which is the case with all types of blood cancer. Anemia is one of the most common sequelae of leukemia.
This is due to the fact that the red blood cells are literally overrun by the white blood cells. The anemia becomes noticeable through pronounced chronic fatigue and listlessness. This condition can be exacerbated by the drugs that are administered against the blood cancer.
Another typical complication is prolonged bleeding. The resulting wounds are closed more slowly due to the leukemia. Occasionally the resulting blood loss is so intense that the patient faints. Even a blood transfusion may be required. Heavy bleeding also includes nosebleeds and bleeding gums. Haematomas (bruises) are not uncommon.
Pain is also not a rare consequence of leukemia. This is how the bone marrow expands inside the bones. In severe cases, those affected are restricted in their movements. The sequelae also include enlarging or swelling of the kidneys.
If the B cells lose their functionality due to the blood cancer, there is a risk of frequent infections. Some of them are so serious that they put a lot of stress on the patient. Without appropriate treatment or its positive course, leukemia has a fatal outcome.
When should you go to the doctor?
A doctor should be visited if the vague feeling of illness persists. Consult a doctor if you experience persistent tiredness, physical weakness after performing normal tasks or if you need to sleep more. If the person concerned suffers from shortness of breath during low stress or activities, the abnormality must be clarified by a doctor. Loss of the usual level of performance, exhaustion and fatigue are indications that should be investigated. A doctor is needed in the event of headaches, changes in skin texture, itching or a frequent tendency to bleed. Repeated bleeding from the nose or gums indicate illnesses that require treatment. Enlarged lymph, an increased susceptibility to infection or swelling on the body should be presented to a doctor.
A doctor should be consulted in the event of tightness and difficulty breathing. If there is bone pain, rashes, changes in vision or a sudden sensitivity to light, a doctor should be consulted. Nausea, vomiting, and general malaise should also be examined and treated. If unwanted weight loss occurs, this is to be understood as a warning from the organism. A doctor should be consulted so that the cause of the weight loss can be determined. Nocturnal sweating despite optimal sleeping conditions indicates an existing irregularity. If the symptoms persist for several weeks, a doctor's visit is advisable.
Treatment & Therapy
Therapy and treatment of leukemia is done with cystostatics. Additional treatment options are high-dose therapies with autologous stem cell infusion. Then there is the option of a bone marrow transplant. Prophylactic and therapeutic radiation therapy is of secondary importance. In recent years there have been new ways of gifting crystallized out of antibodies.
There are also new drugs against blood cancer that intervene directly in the course of the disease, such as Imatineb. The aim of treatment is to push back the cancer cells and, if possible, to destroy them completely. Depending on the type and spread of the leukemia, it is necessary to draw up an individual treatment and therapy plan with the doctor. Since the blood cancer spreads to all organs, it is not possible to remove it by surgery.
That is why chemotherapy is carried out with cystostatics that inhibit cell growth. In addition, radiation is necessary in some cases. In order to achieve the best possible effect, it is possible to combine different cystostatics. In myeloid leukemia, induction therapy is first followed by consolidation therapy, which should last at least a year in order to avoid relapses.
Outlook & forecast
The chances of survival for many patients with leukemia are much better today than they were many years ago. The chances of a cure can be improved more and more through modern therapy options. However, if the leukemia is too advanced, appropriate treatments can at least help alleviate the symptoms and extend the life span somewhat.
The prognosis for leukemia always depends on various factors and differs from patient to patient. First of all, the type and stage of the cancer at the time of diagnosis play a decisive role. The patient's response to the therapy is also important. In addition, the age and general condition of the patient and possible comorbidities also influence the chances of recovery and life expectancy.
For acute leukemia, it is basically curable. The earlier the disease is diagnosed and treated, the greater the chances of recovery. This is especially true for young patients. In the absence of treatment, patients die from acute treatment approximately three months after diagnosis. With treatment, life expectancy in acute lymphoblastic leukemia can be increased to around five years.
Even pushing back the cancer is no guarantee of a complete cure. It is possible for a relapse to occur months and even years later. The earlier the relapse occurs, the lower the chances of recovery. If chronic leukemia is diagnosed, the cancer cells multiply much more slowly. In this case, the treatment is not as intensive as in the case of acute courses, but it is necessary over the long term. There is no cure for chronic leukemia, but therapy can relieve symptoms and slow the progression of the disease.
Aftercare
Without treatment, one's health deteriorates. Depending on age and type of leukemia, death can ultimately occur. Follow-up care is primarily aimed at reducing the symptoms. Regular examinations by the attending physician are necessary in order to ensure adequate medication administration and to initiate a change in the event of intolerance. Furthermore
The two forms of chronic leukemia, acute and chronic, harbor different risk potential. In the acute form, the condition deteriorates immediately, in the chronic form it is more gradual. Follow-up care is either intensive or less intensive, depending on the course. Since leukemia patients have poor wound healing, they should take care not to injure themselves in their everyday life. Rest and plenty of sleep also promote general well-being, as does a balanced diet.
You can do that yourself
Leukemia is a serious disease and must be treated by a doctor. However, after consulting the attending physician, the patient can do something to help him heal.
This includes taking nutritional supplements like vitamins and minerals that can strengthen the body. Alternative healing methods should only be considered if the attending physician has been consulted beforehand. In addition to the physical complaints, there are often also emotional complaints. When leukemia occurs, the patient's social environment is very important. The support that the patient receives from family, partner and friends contributes significantly to healing the emotional complaints. Treatment by a psycho-oncologist can also serve as professional support for the patient.
Self-help groups on the subject of leukemia can also be very helpful for the patient. The exchange with other affected persons can have a relieving effect on the patient. In addition, those affected can exchange ideas about the therapy and living conditions and thus provide mutual assistance.In this way, those affected can benefit from the experiences of others and they get the feeling that they are not alone with their problems with the disease.
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