Leukemia

Emma L. Hallam

Leukemia

Leukemia is a cancer that starts in the tissue that forms blood. It is generally known that the ancient Greeks are credited with being the first to recognize this cancer sometime in the 4th and 5th century B.C.E. But it wasn’t officially diagnosed until 1845 by John Hughs Benett in Edinburgh.

In today’s age there are a few types of Leukemia. These can be grouped based on how quickly the disease develops and gets worse. It is either Chronic (which usually gets slowly) were early in the disease the leukemia cells can still do some of the work of normal white blood cells. Or it is Acute (which usually gets worse quickly) where the leukemia cells can’t do any of the work.

Or the types of Leukemia can be grouped base on the type of white blood cells affected. First we have Chronic lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) which affects lymphoid cells and usually grows slowly. It accounts for more than 15,000 new cases a year and usually affects people over the age of 55. Next we have Chronic myeloid Leukemia (CML) which affects myeloid cells and usually grows slowly at first. It accounts for nearly 6,000 new cases a year and mainly affects adults. Then we have Acute Lymphocytic (lymphoblastic) Leukemia (ALL) which affects lymphoid cells and grows quickly. It accounts for more than 6,000 new cases a year and is the most common type to affect children. The last type is Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) which affects myeloid cells and grows quickly. This one accounts for more than 18,000 new cases a year and affects both children and adults.

With each type being different, the risk factors can change for each as well. But some of the common factors include: radiation, smoking, Benzene, chemotherapy and family history of Leukemia. Having one or more risk factors doesn’t mean that a person will develop the disease.

Like all blood cells, Leukemia cells travel through the body. So the symptoms of it depend on the number of Leukemia cells and were the cells...