INTRODUCTION: Leukemia means white blood (Greek leukos, white; aima, blood). It is a cancer of the bone marrow or blood and is characterized by an abnormal growth of blood cells, usually white blood cells (leukocytes)and is divided into acute and chronic forms.

It affects the digestive tract, lungs, Kidneys or other parts of the body and can also collect in the testicles causing edema and swelling. It is one of the most common cancers of children, although it isn’t just a children’s disease, as many people think.

It is newly diagnosed in about 29,000 adults and 2000 children each year in the United States and has four main types and many sub-types of which only some of them are common among children.

Leukemia that has metastasize (spread) to the brain may produce central nervous system effects, including headaches, seizures, weakness, blurred or distorted vision, balance difficulties, or vomiting and the chemotherapy used to treat it, can cause anemia.

ACUTE LEUKEMIA: Leukemia in it’s acute form is characterized by the rapid increase of immature blood cells, and is potentially curable; However only a small number of patients are cured with todays therapy. It begins with one or a few white blood cells that have a lost or damaged DNA sequence and becomes worse quickly and may make you feel sick right away.

It tends to develop suddenly, whereas some chronic varieties may exist for years before they are even diagnosed. Immediate treatment is required due to the rapid progression and accumulation of the malignant cells, which then spill over into the bloodstream and spread to other organs of the body.

Whereas acute leukemia must be treated immediately, chronic forms are sometimes monitored for some time before treatment to ensure maximum effectiveness of therapy.

CHRONIC LEUKEMIA: Chronic leukemia is distinguished by the excessive build up of relatively mature, but still abnormal, blood cells and often goes undetected for many years until it is identified in a routine blood test. It is more common between ages 40 and 70 and is rare among young people.

It tends to worsen slowly and may not produce symptoms for many years. Like many cancers, it is a disease that usually occurs in the old. Doctors often find chronic leukemia during a regular or routine checkup, before there are any noticeable symptoms. The acute forms occur in those of all ages, whereas the chronic forms tend to occur in people over 40 years of age. Although slow-growing chronic leukemia can also be seen in children, but it is very rare, accounting for less than 50 cases in children each year in the USA.

TREATMENT: Treatment for leukemia is complex and it depends largely on your age and health, the type and how far it has metastasize or spread. Treatment is generally considered necessary when the patient shows signs and symptoms such as low blood cell numbers. Generally speaking, all treatment is divided into several different phases. In children, an intensive 6-month treatment program is needed after induction, followed by 2 years of chemotherapy.

For low risk children, standard treatment usually consists of 3 drugs (prednisone, L-asparaginase, and vincristine) for the first month of treatment. Higher risk patients receive higher drug doses plus treatment with extra chemotherapy drugs. Follow up treatment for all patients usually consists of supportive care, such as intravenous nutrition and treatment with antibiotics taken orally.

In general, the indications for treatment are: dropping hemoglobin or platelet count, progression to advance or later stages of disease, painful,disease related over growth of lymph nodes or spleen, lymphocyte doubling time (an indicator of lymphocyte reproduction) of less than a year. Overall, the strategy is to control bone marrow and systemic or total body disease while offering specific treatment for the central nervous system (CNS), if necessary. Maintenance treatments may be given to prevent disease re-ocurrence once remission has been accomplished. Whatever the plan or strategy, it is important for the patient to understand the treatment that is being given and the reasons behind the selection.

CONCLUSION: Leukemia is a cancer of blood-forming cells in the bone marrow. These cells crowd out other types of blood cells produced by the bone marrow, including red blood cells, which carry oxygen to tissues throughout your body, and platelets, which help form blood clots.

Leukemia cells can spread to the lymph nodes and various other organs causing swelling and or pain and can also accumulate in the kidney, liver and spleen, causing enlargement of these organs. These cells also can affect the lungs and other parts of the body. Acute forms can occur in both children and young adults. Chronic forms usually occurs in older people, but can theoretically occur in any age group.

To date there is no single known cause for all of the different types of leukemia. Studies have linked exposure to chemicals, such as benzene, and hair dyes to the development of some forms of the disease. Viruses have been linked to other forms. Until the cause or causes are discovered, there is no known way to prevent the occurrence of Leukemia. As of 1998, it is estimated that each year, approximately 30,800 individuals will be diagnosed with Leukemia in the United States and 21,700 persons will die of the disease.