Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia
Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Basics
acute lymphoblastic leukemia
If you are interested in the diseases called leukemia, you should also be familiar with the acute lymphoblastic leukemia. This is a type of leukemia where the cancer cells can spread easily. The medical term acute lymphoblastic leukemia pertains to the abnormalities in the lymphocytes. When these white blood cells are underdeveloped, it turns into leukemia cells which crowd the platelets, health white blood cells, and the red blood cells. When this happens, the cancer cells spread quickly and severe symptoms of leukemia can be felt by the patient.
Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Cases around the World
More and more cases of ALL or acute lymphoblastic leukemia have been noted in the United States and other parts of the world. A greater percentage of the ALL patients are older adults and very few are children. This condition is also called acute lymphoid and acute lymphocytic leukemia. The mildness or severity of the symptoms will depend on the presence of leukemia cells. So basically, the more cancer cells there are in the body, the more severe the symptoms become.
Common ALL Symptoms
Once the red blood cells are affected by the cancer cells, it can no longer carry oxygen to the different parts of the body. When this happens, a person will suffer from shortness of breath, weakness, and fatigue. Since the white blood cells are affected, the body’s capability to fight infections is quite low. Frequent infections may occur and no amount of antibiotics will work to address the infection.
Aside from the red and white blood cells, the platelets are also crowded by the cancer cells. The body can’t control bleeding and so patients can experience bruising or abnormal bleeding. At times, red spots are also evident under the patient’ skin however, in rare cases, individuals that have acute lymphoblastic leukemia tend to exhibit appetite loss, joint or bone pains, vomiting, and headache.
ALL Diagnosis
In order to diagnose acute lymphoblastic leukemia, the doctor will conduct several tests. The number and size of the cancer cells are going to be determined. The affected lymphocyte is also going to be identified whether it is the T-cells or the B-cells. Oftentimes, the cancer cells’ chromosomes change in appearance is also examined and this is referred to as cytogenetics. Spinal tap or lumbar puncture tests are conducted to examine if the spinal cord or brain already contains leukemia cells.
ALL Stages and Treatment
The acute lymphoblastic leukemia or ALL is classified into different stages and based on the tests, the ideal treatment plan is going to be determined. Like other acute types of leukemia, the cancer cells can spread quickly and this will lead to worsening of the symptoms. The treatment can include chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and the BMT or bone marrow transplant.
Chemotherapy is quite common but not all acute lymphoblastic leukemia patients are given this treatment. If the body can tolerate chemo, then this is a good treatment option. The only problem is the cost because it is a bit high. Children with ALL can be given radiation therapy but only when the spinal cord or brain is affected. In the case of BMT, the risk factors of the acute lymphoblastic leukemia patient are evaluated, so you must discuss this with your medical professional.
