Essay on Leukemia Cancer of the Blood - 1639 Words

The river of life, the blood is the body’s primary means of transportation. Blood is a part of the hematopoietic system, which also includes lymphatic tissue, bone marrow, and the spleen. Blood is a complex transport medium that performs vital pick-up and delivery services for the body by picking up food and oxygen from the digestive and respiratory systems, and delivering those vital elements to different cells of the body. In exchange of the blood and oxygen, blood then picks up wastes from the cells for delivery to the urinary organs. These functions could not be provided for the individual cells without the blood. Like any other structure of the body, blood can be attacked by many types of disease, such as Leukemia. Leukemia is a†¦show more content†¦One cubic milliliter of normal blood contains 5,000 to 9,000 white blood cells. The number of white blood cells changes in abnormal conditions. Leukemia is a blood cancer characterized by the formation of abnormally high numbers of white blood cells. It may also transform the normal blood cells into abnormal white blood cells, and the uncontrolled growth in the number of white blood cells overwhelms and replaces normal bone marrow and blood cells. When Leukemia attacks the blood cells, the lymph nodes, the spleen, and the bone marrow are extremely weakened. Scientists do not know what causes Leukemia, but it is suspected that genetic abnormalities contribute, as do environmental factors such as cigarette smoking, exposure to radiation, and/or exposure to environmental toxins or viruses (Parks 9). Most cases of leukemia are marked by leukocytosis; abnormally high white blood cell numbers in the blood. Leukocyte counts of 100,000/mm cubed in circulating blood are common. Leukemia is either described as acute or chronic, based on how quickly the symptoms appear after the disease begins. Leukemia can also be classified as lymphatic or myeloid, depending on the cell type involved. Chronic Lymphatic Leukemia (CLL), Acute Lymphatic Leukemia (ALL), Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML), and Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML), are the most common types of leukemia. Chronic Lymphatic Leukemia affects people who are 65 years or older, and rarely affects people who are under 30.Show MoreRelatedFacts, Types, and Effects of Leukemia Essay1243 Words   |  5 PagesCancer is defined as the unregulated growth of abnormal, mutated cells in the body. Yet perhaps the more routine understanding of the disease is its seriousness regarding an individual’s health. Cancer comes in numerous differing forms that collectively hold cancer as the second leading cause of death in the United States according to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention. An array of cancers can affect any organ system in any person no matter the gender, age, or race. One chronic formRead MoreToo Many Diagnosed with Leukemia1325 Words   |  5 Pagesestimated 31,000 new diagnosis of leukemia (Gould Dyer, 2011). Leukemia is a cancer of the white blood cells. Bone marrow the spongy tissue inside the bone is where the blood cells are made (The Leukemia Lymphoma Society). Normal white blood cells fight infections in our bodies. In leukemia, the bone marrow is making abnormal white blood cells. The two main types of white blood cells that leukemia affects are; lymphocytes and myeloid cells (The Leukemia Lymphoma Society). Lymphoblasts areRead MoreLeukemia: From a Childs Point of View Essay1487 Words   |  6 PagesCancer changes your life, often for the better. You learn whats important, you learn to prioritize, and you learn not to waste your time. You tell people you love them† (Siegel 1). When cancer hits, it hits hard. It does not give a break, it does not give a day off. It takes a special sort of person to beat this growing diseas e. Leukemia is perhaps the worst of all cancers to date. It is especially affecting children more and more in today’s society. One might ask how could a parent that lovesRead MoreAppendix B1735 Words   |  7 Pagesenvironmental risks * According to the American Cancer Society (2013) states, â€Å"A risk factor is anything that affects your chance of getting a disease such as cancer† (American Cancer Society, 2013). â€Å"There are a few known risk factors for childhood leukemia† (American Cancer Society, 2013). According to the American Cancer Society (2013) states, â€Å"Genetic risk factors are those that are part of our DNA (the substance that makes up our genes)† (American Cancer Society, 2013). The genetic risk factor isRead MoreLeukemia1485 Words   |  6 PagesRunning head: LEUKEMIA 1 Leukemia Maryam Kamber Eastern Illinois University LEUKEMIA 2 Leukemia is a cancer of blood cells, specifically white blood cells that are responsible for fighting infection. However, the abnormal cells in leukemia do not function in the same way as normal white blood cells. Leukemia cells continue to grow and divide, eventually crowding out normal blood cells. TheRead MoreLeukemia And Its Effects On Cancer Development971 Words   |  4 Pageswill be diagnosed with leukemia, and they will have a 58.5% chance of survival in the next 5 years (National Cancer Institute, 2015). Leukemia is a group of cancers that originate from bone marrow and create cancerous blood cells that overcrowd healthy blood cells within the bone marrow. (National Cancer Institute, 2014). Compared to other types of cancer, leukemia is considered to be relatively rare (National Cancer Institute, 2015). Despite this, leukemia is unlike other cancers due to the fact thatRead MoreEssay about Leukemia and Its Treatment843 Words   |  4 Pages Leukemia is some thing that we hear about a lot. I believe that people do not understand exactly what leukemia is and how dangerous it can be, I chose this topic to try to help them understand. In this paper I will explain what leukemia is and what treatments you can choose from to treat the cancer. Leukemia is a type of cancer. Cancer is a group of more than 100 diseases that have two or more important things in common. One is that certain cells in the body become abnormal. Another is that theRead MoreLeukemia: The Disease and The Treatment Essay1038 Words   |  5 PagesLeukemia Leukeumia is a type of cancer affecting the bone marrow. Bone marrow is where platelets, red blood cells and white blood cells (Leukocytes) are made. (Medical Journal Dictionary)Leukemia is caused by the rapid production (Proliferation) of Leukocytes, and causes a build-up that inhibits red blood cells, and platelets from functioning and stops other Leukocytes from fighting infection. Because of the abnormally rapid production these cells are unable to mature or develop properly and areRead MoreTaking a Look at Leukemia800 Words   |  3 PagesAccording to the Leukemia Society Lymphoma Society, leukemia â€Å"is a type of cancer that affects the blood and bone marrow, the spongy center of bones where our blood cells are formed. The disease develops when blood cells produced in the bone marrow grow out of control.† Leukemia typically begins in the white blood cells which serve as potent infection fighters (Leukemia). However, when people have leukemia, this part of the i mmune system doesn’t work properly. The white blood cells are consideredRead MoreLeukemia Essay1226 Words   |  5 PagesLeukemia is cancerous disease that starts in blood-forming tissue such as the bone marrow and causes large numbers of blood cells to be produced and enter the blood-stream (National Cancer Institute, 2008, para. 1). It is one of many complicated cancer diseases that affect all ages and have very negative outcomes if not treated properly, and on time. Within the disease are several different types that affect according to how quickly the disease develops and attacks the body. It could be classified