Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia, Signs/Symptoms & Treatment

 

 

Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia

Leukemia:

Leukemia is a blood cancer that begins in white blood cells. It tends to affect more than one type of cell in the body and may affect different parts of the body at different times. One important thing to understand about leukemia is that treatment can vary widely, depending on the type of leukemia present and its stage. In acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), however, there are two main kinds of treatment: first-line therapy involves alkylating agents and monoclonal antibodies. Second-line therapy usually involves high-dose chemotherapy with stem cell transplants or biological agents such as an anthracycline antibiotic.

Leukemia, also known as leukemia lymphoma is an abnormal proliferation of blood stem cells. It starts from the stem cells and makes them abnormal. These turn into another type of abnormal cell called leukemia cells. The main reason for this disorder is a genetic mutation of its DNA which may be due to poisoning or a tumor that occurs in the body or due to a dominant gene change in a family member.

Acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL):

Acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) is one of the most common types of childhood cancer. It is also the most common form of cancer in children under 15 years old, according to the American Cancer Society.

All types of childhood leukemia are rare, accounting for about 1 percent of all childhood cancers. The five most common forms are acute lymphatic leukemia, acute myeloid leukemia, chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), and Hodgkin lymphoma.

ALL affects white blood cells called lymphocytes. The leukemic cells are normal at first and cause no symptoms. But as the disease progresses, the number of leukemic cells increases and they begin to invade healthy tissues, including the spleen and bone marrow. The result is that your body can't fight infection or other diseases as well as it should.

Acute lymphocytic leukemia occurs when your immune system makes too many lymphocytes, which are white blood cells that help fight infection and disease. Acute lymphocytic leukemia usually affects both children and younger than 65 years old; however, it can occur at any age and affect people of any race or ethnicity.

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Causes acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL):

It is one of several types of leukemia, which are cancers of blood-forming tissue. Acute lymphocytic leukemia is the most common type of leukemia in children, accounting for about 50 percent of cases.

ALL begins in immature B cells, which produce antibodies that fight infections. The B cells become abnormal as they mature and begin to grow rapidly. This creates an increased number of abnormal B cells, which can then multiply out of control and form tumors.

Acute lymphocytic leukemias are classified by the way they progress:

Acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) is a cancer of the white blood cells that develop in children and youngs. It typically occurs when white blood cells called B lymphocytes become abnormal. B lymphocytes help the body fight infections by producing proteins called antibodies.

• The most common types of ALL are:
• Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL)
• Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML)
• Chronic granulocytic leukemia (CGLL)
• Granulocytic sarcoma (GS)
• Aplastic anemia

The Person Who is at risk for acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL):

It's rare, with about 5,500 new cases diagnosed each year.

ALL is most common in  ages 15 to 35 years old.

Acute lymphocytic leukemia affects people of any race, ethnicity, or socioeconomic background.

The risk of ALL depends on many factors, including age, gender, and family history of the disease.

Your exposure to certain chemicals during childhood — such as arsenic and lead exposure from contaminated drinking water or diesel fuel used for home heating

Genetic mutations that can cause genetic abnormalities or other diseases such as Fanconi anemia or congenital heart defects

Acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) is a cancer of the blood and bone marrow in which large numbers of immature white blood cells called lymphocytes are present.

These include:

Age. It is more common in aged 60 and older, but it can occur at any age.

Gender. Women are about twice as likely to develop ALL as men. This may be due to hormonal influences on the immune system or because women tend to have higher rates of a genetic gene mutation that plays a role in predisposing them to the disease.

Other diseases. People who have HIV/AIDS or infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) also have a higher risk of developing ALL than people who don't have these conditions. In addition, people with other types of cancers that affect the blood may develop ALL if they have one or more additional risk factors for this type of cancer

The symptoms of acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL):

The symptoms of acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) depend on the extent of the disease. The patient may experience any or all of the following:

• Fatigue
• Fever
• Dry cough
• Loss of appetite
• Headache
• Abdominal pain or swelling
• chills
• headache
• nausea or vomiting
• weight loss

Acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) is diagnosed:

Acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) is diagnosed based on the symptoms and signs. The diagnosis is confirmed by blood tests, bone marrow biopsy, and imaging studies.

Clinical diagnosis of ALL begins with a complete history and physical examination to identify any symptoms or signs that might be related to leukemia. If there is no evidence of an underlying disorder or disease, your doctor may order other tests to help diagnose your condition.

Your doctor will ask about your symptoms and medical history, as well as about recent infections, medications, or exposures that have affected you. Your doctor will check for signs of infection in your mouth and throat (such as swollen lymph nodes).

Acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) is cancer that occurs in the blood and bone marrow.

The diagnosis of ALL is made by examining your blood, examining the sample under a microscope, and checking for abnormalities on other tests.

If you have ALL, you may have these signs and symptoms:

• a swollen abdomen (abdomen)
• a low fever
• chills and night sweats (sweats)
• fatigue (tiredness)
• night sweats that appear during the night and go away in the morning

Diagnosis of ALL is based on history and physical examination, laboratory tests, and imaging tests. The most important diagnostic test is a bone marrow aspiration or biopsy, which provides information about the number and type of tumor cells in the bone marrow. Other tests may be helpful if they produce results that are consistent with those obtained from aspiration or biopsy.

Other tests include:

Routine blood chemistry tests help identify potential problems with red blood cell production (hemolysis), white blood cell production (leukopenia), or platelet function.

Imaging studies can help determine whether there is any fluid collection (pleural effusion) around the lungs or abdomen, which may indicate pleural effusion associated with leukemia; whether there is any ascites, which may indicate pleural effusion associated with leukemia; and whether there are other signs of bleeding such as petechiae or ecchymoses.

Other less frequent imaging techniques include computed tomography (CT) scans and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

The treatments for acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL):

The treatments for acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) depend on the specific type of leukemia. In general, ALL is treated with chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy. Chemotherapy may be given as a single course or in cycles over several months, depending on the type of chemotherapy used. It can be given as a single session or over several days, weeks, or months.

The treatments for acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) are different from the treatment of chronic leukemia. The goal of treatment is to stop cancer from growing and spreading.

The first step in treating ALL is to find out if there is cancer in the bone marrow. The doctor will use a blood test called a bone marrow aspiration to do this. This test can be done at the same time as other tests related to diagnosis or treatment.

If there is cancer in the bone marrow, the next step is to start chemotherapy to kill any remaining cancer cells. Chemotherapy may include:

* Bisphosphonates - These drugs slow down bone growth and prevent new blood vessels from growing into bones. Bisphosphonates are only effective for about three months after starting treatment; this is why your doctor gives you an injection every three months for six months.

* Anemia - Anemia (low red blood cell count) can be caused by chemotherapy drugs and by blood loss during surgery or other procedures that remove tumors from your body.

 

Conclusions:

Acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) is the type of cancer that affects the blood and bone marrow. The disease is characterized by the overproduction of immature white blood cells, which crowd out healthy cells and prevent the body from fighting infection. Although there is no cure for ALL, treatment options are available to help manage the symptoms and extend life expectancy. If you or someone you know has been diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia, it is important to seek out professional medical help in order to receive the best possible care.