Leukaemia is the commonest childhood cancer, but only 25% of the annual diagnoses are in children. There are about 3,000 people diagnosed with each form of leukaemia per year in the UK. Acute leukaemia may start in myeloid or lymphoid cells and can be a rapidly progressive disease.
Both myeloid and lymphoid cells are made in the bone marrow, the spongy centre in long bones where blood cells are produced. Myeloid cells develop into red or white cells or platelets and lymphoid cells develop into lymphocytes, a kind of white blood cell.
Chronic leukaemia may be myeloid or lymphocytic, and is generally slower to develop. Symptoms of acute leukaemia can be vague and include fever and frequent infections, fatigue and general weakness, bleeding from the nose, or in urine or on faeces, anaemia (a deficiency of red blood cells that can reduce capacity to carry oxygen and lead to tiredness and pallor), bone and joint pain, and swollen glands.
Symptoms of chronic leukaemia include pain, infections and fever, enlarged glands, loss of weight and anaemia. A diagnosis is made through blood tests, examination of bone marrow, a lumbar puncture (insertion of a hollow needle into the lumbar spine to withdraw cerebrospinal fluid) and x-rays.
The principal treatment for leukaemia is chemotherapy together with steroids. Sometimes radiotherapy may be used when the disease has spread or where there are deposits of malignant cells. Bone marrow or stem cell transplants may be used for recurrent disease. Cells are removed either from bone marrow or circulating blood and transfused via a drip.
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In leukaemia the immune system is affected through changes in the body’s white blood cells.
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People with leukaemia will usually be treated in a haematology department.
Further information
Cancerbackup
www.cancerbackup.org.uk
CancerHelp
www.cancerhelp.org.uk
Leukaemia Research
www.lrf.org.uk
Leukaemia Care
www.leukaemiacare.org.uk
Support
Leukaemia Care
www.leukaemiacare.org.uk
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