Blood cancers affect the production and function of your blood cells. Most of these cancers begin in the bone marrow where blood is produced. Bone marrow stem cells mature and develop into three types of blood cells: red blood cells, white blood cells, or platelets. In most blood cancers, the normal process of developing blood cells is interrupted by the uncontrolled growth of an abnormal type of blood cells. These abnormal blood cells, or cancer cells, prevent your blood from performing many of its functions, such as fighting infections or preventing serious bleeding.
Leukaemia is a cancer of blood cells. It begins in the bone marrow, which are the soft tissues inside the bones. In most cases, it is a cancer of white blood cells but some leukaemias begin in other types of blood cells. It produces abnormal white blood cells called leukemia 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 leukemia. In general, leukemia can be grouped into two broad categories:
• Acute or chronic: Acute leukemia gets worse in a short time and can make you feel sick right away. Chronic leukemia slowly worsens and may not cause symptoms for years.
• Lymphocytic or myelogenous: lymphocytic leukemia affects the white blood cells. Myelogenous leukemia affects the white blood cells called myelocytes.
Types of leukemia include:
• Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL)
• Acute myelogenous leukemia (AML)
• Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL)
• Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML)
Causes of Leukaemia
The exact cause of leukemia is still unknown, however, there are few risk factors that increase the risk of certain types of leukemia. These include:
• Certain genetic disorders such as Down syndrome are associated with an increased risk of leukemia.
• People exposed to a high level of radiation. Nuclear reactor, for example.
• Some chemical exposure such as benzene.
• Viral infections.
• Tobacco and tobacco use is associated with acute myelogenous leukemia.
• People with medical conditions such as pneumonia, sinusitis, chronic osteoarthritis, etc. have a slightly increased risk of developing leukemia.
• Family history.
Symptom:
Common symptoms of acute or chronic leukemia may include:
• Swelling and pain in the left side of the abdomen
• Swollen lymph glands that usually do not hurt
• Frequent bleeding from the gums or rectum and heavy menstrual bleeding
• Feeling weak or tired
• Loss of weight or loss of appetite for no known reason
• Fever or night sweats
• Bone-ache