leukemia | Leukemia: Symptoms, treatment, definition, what is it?

Leukemia: Symptoms, treatment, definition, what is it?

Leukemia is a cancer of the blood cells of the bone marrow. Two main forms are distinguished: lymphoid leukemia (or lymphoblastic) and myeloid leukemia. They can be acute or chronic.

Definition: What is leukemia?
Leukemia is a cancer of the blood cells of the bone marrow. It should not be confused with lymphomas that develop from the lymph nodes.

In the case of leukemia, the production of white blood cells by the bone marrow is severely altered. Abnormal cells called leukemic cells are created in high quantities and proliferate in the bone marrow. They then spread into the bloodstream and can reach vital organs.

This proliferation of abnormal cells disrupts the production of "normal" white blood cells and weakens the immune system. This also involves a deficiency in red blood cells and platelets.

Forms of leukemia
Different forms of leukemia are distinguished according to the affected white blood cells and the rapid progression of the disease.

-Acute leukemia: Its evolution is very fast. Abnormal cells do not reach maturity and accumulate in the bone marrow. The symptoms appear quickly and the treatment should be started as soon as possible.

-Chronic leukemia: Abnormal cells have time to reach maturity. The process is therefore much longer and is spread over several years.

-lymphoid leukemia or lymphoblastic: lymphoid leukemia reaches white blood cells called lymphocytes. Abnormal cells are lymphoblasts. According to evolution, acute lymphoid leukemia (ALL) and chronic lymphoid leukemia (LLC) are differentiated. All is the most common form of acute leukemia in young children while the LLC mainly affects people over the age of 60.

-Myeloid leukemia: The cells affected by leukemia are the granulocytes. The abnormal form is called myéloblaste. Acute myeloid leukemia (LMA) is rapidly evolving while chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is experiencing a slower evolution. LMA is the most common form of acute leukemia in adolescents, while the LLC mainly affects people aged 25 to 60 years.

Symptoms of leukemia
The signs of leukemia are different depending on the shape. Acute leukemia has symptoms close to those of the flu (fever, chills, headaches...). They appear in a brutal way. Platelet deficiency makes clotting difficult and causes bleeding (especially in the gums or nose), abundant rules and blood stains on the skin.

Chronic lymphoid leukemia is expressed in the first place by persistent fatigue and a great weakness. In the case of chronic myeloid leukemia, the main symptoms are an increase in lymph node volume, upper respiratory tract infection and an enlarged spleen.

Causes of leukemia
Several factors are known to increase the risk of leukemia: Chronic exposure to chemicals or radioactivity, genetic predisposition or certain viruses and diseases.

However, the cause of the disease remains unknown in 9 out of 10 cases.

Treatment of leukemia
Several treatments are available according to the individual, the type of leukemia contracted as well as the evolution of the disease.

In case of acute leukemia, the treatment aims to destroy a maximum of abnormal cells. Intensive chemotherapy is often used, associated with radiation therapy, blood transfusion and, if necessary, a bone marrow transplant.

As the evolution of chronic lymphoid leukemia is slow, simple surveillance is often sufficient at the onset of the disease. At an advanced stage, chemotherapy is often necessary.

The treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia consists in the taking of inhibitors. These are tablets that counteract the proliferation of leukemic cells. However, this support is known to have side effects such as diarrhea, nausea, cramps or skin irritation.