Blood Cancer - Leukemia

Leukemia is also known as cancer of the blood. In real terms leukemia is a cancer of white blood cells (WBC) and of platelets. These factors help blood to clot. Significantly reducing the number of white blood cells leave the body weak, defenseless against germs, such as a mild disease, such as a simple cold can cause serious effects or even death.

Decreased number of platelets leads to delayed clotting of blood, so some wounds, even superficial is cicatrize heaviest bleeding at the slightest touch.

Acute leukemia is a fast growing disease which usually affects their status embryonic cells. Because of that affected cells can not differentiate according to their body and no body can provide the necessary functionality. These cells are described in the literature as "functional" because they do not behave like normal cells. Thus it reduced the number of new red cells caused by spinal cord; it leads to a typical form of anemia.

On the other hand, chronic leukemia develops gradually and allows partial development of cells, which can reach their mostly "task" specific
but due to the increasing number of white blood cells blood flow is slowed and it triggers a form of severe anemia.

Leukemia can be classified Peter basic categories:
-AML - acute myeloid leukemia;
-ALL - acute lymphocytic leukemia;
-CML - chronic myeloid leukemia;
-CLL - chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
Suffering from acute leukemia has the following symptoms:
-fatigue;
-breathing during physical activity;
slow-healing wounds, even superficial, heavy bleeding;
mild fever and night sweats;
-bruises without apparent reason;
-red spots under the skin;
-small number of white blood cells;
-pain in the bones or joints;

In terms of chronic leukemia, it is more difficult to detect because symptoms do not clear, there are many patients whose disease was discovered accidentally during routine testing. Occasionally, one can see lymph nodes in the neck, armpits or groin. In this case it is obligatory to consult a specialist and make a complete set of blood tests. If the disease is severe, can occur and events such as fatigue increased even if a smaller effort or frequent infections.
Confirmation of disease may be made only after complex tests such as bone marrow aspiration and biopsy of the spine. The tests should be repeated at regular intervals doctor to judge the course of the disease and determining treatment followed.