Leukemia

Leukemia is cancer of the blood cells. It starts in the bone marrow. Bone marrow is where blood cells are made.

When you are healthy, your bone marrow makes:
1. White blood cells, which help your body fight infection.
2. Red blood cells, which carry oxygen to all parts of your body.
3. Platelets, which help your blood clot.

When you have leukemia, the bone marrow starts to make a lot of abnormal white blood cells, called leukemia cells. They don't do the work of normal white
blood cells, they grow faster than normal cells. Over time, leukemia cells can crowd out the normal blood cells.

CAUSES OF LEUKEMIA

The causes are not known but some things are known to increase the risk of some kinds of leukemia. They
include

- When exposed to large amounts of radiation.
- When exposed to certain chemicals such as benzene.
- When you ever had some types of chemotherapy to treat another cancer.
- When you have Down syndrome or some other genetic problems.
- When you smoke. But most people who have these risk factors don't get leukemia.

SYMPTOMS

Common symptoms include:
* Fever and night sweats.
* Headaches.
* Bruising or bleeding easily.
* Bone or joint pain.
* A swollen or painful belly from an enlarged spleen.
* Swollen lymph nodes in the armpit,neck, or groin.
* Getting a lot of infections.
* Feeling very tired or weak.
* Losing weight and not feeling hungry.

TREATMENT

Some doctors prefer the term "remission" to "cure," because there is a chance the cancer could come back.

Treatment options ncludes:
* Chemotherapy.
* Radiation.
* Stem cell transplant.
*Biological therapy. This is the use of special medicines that improve your body's natural defenses against cancer.

Some treatments for leukemia can cause side effects. Your doctor can tell you what problems are common and help you find ways to manage them.