About Leukaemia Cancer

Leukaemia is a cancer of blood cells. It begins in the bone marrow which are the soft tissues inside the bones. Most often, it is a cancer of white blood cells but some leukaemia start in other blood cells types. It produces abnormal white blood cells called leukaemia cells. These abnormal blood cells grow faster than normal blood cells and do not stop when they are supposed to.

There are several types of Leukaemia. In general, Leukaemia can be grouped into two broad categories:

• Acute or Chronic: Acute Leukaemia gets worse in a short time period and may make you feel sick right away. Chronic Leukaemia gets worse slowly and may not cause symptoms for years.
• Lymphocytic or Myelogenous: Lymphocytic leukaemia affects white blood cells. Myelogenous leukaemia affects white blood cells called myelocytes.

Types of Leukaemia include:

• Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (ALL)
• Acute Myelogenous Leukaemia (AML)
• Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia ( CLL)
• Chronic Myelogenous Leukaemia (CML)

Causes of Leukaemia

The exact cause of leukaemia is still not known, however there are few risk factors which increase the risk of certain kinds of leukaemia. These include:

• Certain genetic disorders like down syndrome are associated with increased risk of leukemia.
• People exposed to high level of radiations . Nuclear reactor, for instance.
• Certain Chemical Exposure like Benzene.
• Viral Infections.
• Smoking and tobacco use is associated with acute myelogenous leukemia.
• People with medical conditions like Pneumonia, sinusitis, chronic osteoarthritis etc. have a slightly higher risk of developing leukemia.
• Family history.

Symptoms:

Common Symptoms of acute or chronic leukaemia may include:

• Swelling and pain on the left side of the abdomen
• Swollen lymph nodes that usually don't hurt
• Frequent bleeding from the gums or rectum and heavy menstrual bleeding
• Feeling Weak or tired
• Weight Loss or loss of appetite for no known reason
• Fever or Night Sweats
• Bone pain

Diagnosis:

Leukaemia is diagnosed after a routine blood test. Later, the following tests are done to confirm the presence of cancer cells:

• Physical Test: This test helps people detect swollen lymph nodes.
• Blood Tests: Complete blood count is done to check the number of white blood cells, red blood cells and platelets.
• Biopsy: Samples of tissues are removed to look for the cancer cells. It is the only sure way to find the leukaemia cells in the bone marrow.
• Other Tests: Other tests depend on the symptoms and the type of leukaemia. These include:
• Cytogenetics: In this test, chromosomes of cells are checked from the samples of blood, bone marrow, or lymph nodes. If abnormal chromosomes are found, the test can show what type of leukaemia is there.
• Spinal Tap: In this test, a long, thin needle is used to remove fluid from the lower spine. The fluid is checked for leukaemia cells or other symptoms.
• Chest X-Ray: An X-ray can show swollen lymph nodes or other signs of disease in the chest.

Prevention:

There is no known way to prevent most types of Leukaemia, however we can reduce the risk by:

• Avoiding high doses of radiation.
• Intake of proper Nutrition & staying physically active.
• Reducing exposure to chemicals like benzene
• Quitting Smoking and tobacco.

Treatment:

The treatment of Leukaemia varies depending on the type and stage of the disease. Chances of recovery are always better when diagnosed in early stages. However, cancer healer therapy helps in treating the disease even when it has reached in advanced or metastatic stages. It works on the principle of Immunotherapy that enhances the immune cells of the body i.e. B-CELL, T-CELL to fight against the cancer cells and helps control the disease.