Leukaemia is cancer that develops in your blood. It affects your white blood cells and usually starts in your bone marrow. There are different types of leukaemia and it can affect both adults and children.
Blood cells, which include red cells, white cells and platelets, are made in your bone marrow. White blood cells play a vital role in your immune system and help to defend your body from infection. But if you have leukaemia, some of your white blood cells grow in an uncontrolled way. These abnormal cells can affect how well your body fights infections. They can also cause anaemia and bleeding problems.
In India, around 1 Lakh people are diagnosed with leukaemia each year. It’s the most common type of cancer in children.
There are four main types of leukaemia. They’re named according to the speed at which the leukaemia develops (chronic or acute) and the type of white blood cell involved (myeloid or lymphoid). Acute leukaemia develops quickly over weeks, while chronic leukaemia develops slowly over months and years.
The four main types of leukaemia include:
There are also other, less common types of leukaemia – for example, hairy cell leukaemia. Ask your doctor for more information on the different types of leukaemia.
Leukaemia symptoms can vary depending on which type you have, and how advanced it is. Symptoms can differ between children and adults. It’s also possible to have no symptoms at all.
In children, symptoms of leukaemia can vary depending on how old your child is and how developed the cancer is. Symptoms can sometimes be vague and general. So if your child has any of the following symptoms, make an appointment to see your Doctor.
Symptoms of leukaemia in children may include:
The symptoms of leukaemia in adults can come on very slowly, so you may not be aware of them. The most common type of cancer in adults is chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) and most people have no symptoms from it. It’s often diagnosed after a blood test for something else.
Symptoms of leukaemia in adults may include:
These symptoms aren't always caused by leukaemia, but if you have them, contact your doctor.
Your doctor will ask you about your symptoms and examine you. They’ll ask about your medical history too.
You will be asked to have blood tests to see if there’s anything unusual. If your doctor notices anything abnormal, they’ll refer you to see a specialist. If your child has symptoms of leukaemia, they’re likely to have urgent investigations and be referred to a specialist straightaway.
You might need to have some more tests, including a bone marrow aspiration or biopsy. This means taking a small sample of bone marrow and looking at it under a microscope. This is usually taken from your hip bone or, occasionally, from your breastbone.
Blood tests and bone marrow tests can help to show whether you have certain genes linked to leukaemia. They can also help to identify which type of leukaemia you have and how developed the cancer is.
The main treatment for leukaemia will depend on the type of leukaemia you have, and how far your condition has progressed. Ask your doctor to talk you through your options. They may include the following.
As well as medicines, you may need to have supportive care. This may include fluids, antibiotics and blood and platelet transfusions.
Like all medicines, the ones used to treat leukaemia can have side-effects. Side-effects are the unwanted effects of taking a medicine. The side-effects of leukaemia treatment will be different for each person and depend on the medicine being taken, but some of the main ones can include:
If you have side-effects, it’s important to talk to your doctor who prescribed your medicine before you stop taking it. There are sometimes ways to reduce or ease side-effects.
Doctors don’t yet know the exact reasons why people develop leukaemia. But some things make you more likely to develop some types of leukaemia. These include the following.
Everyone reacts in a different way to a diagnosis of cancer and it’s likely to bring with it lots of different feelings for you and your family. It’s natural to feel anxious and overwhelmed about it and it takes time to sort out how you’re feeling. People cope with it in different ways and there is no right or wrong.
You may find it helpful to talk to someone about how you're feeling, maybe a friend or family member. Or you might find it helps to contact a support group to talk to people who are going through a similar experience.
During and after treatment it’s important to take care of yourself. That means eating healthy foods[SS1] and being active when you can. You may also feel very tired and lacking in energy even months after your treatment ends and these feelings can be severe. Tiredness like this can affect every part of your life including your work, relationships, mental health and home life. Talk to your nurse or doctor for advice about how to manage these symptoms.
Different treatments work for different types of leukaemia; some aim to cure leukaemia while others aim to keep it under control. How long your treatment takes will depend on which treatment you’re having and the type of leukaemia you have. Treatment can take months or sometimes a year or more. For more information on the different treatments for leukaemia, see our section: Treatment of leukaemia above.
The side-effects of leukaemia treatment will be different for each person and depend on the medicine being taken. But some of the main side-effects can include bruising or bleeding easily, losing your hair, feeling sick or being sick, feeling very tired, a sore mouth, fertility problems, diarrhoea or constipation. For more information on this, see our section: Side-effects of leukaemia treatment above.
One of the side-effects of some medicines used to treat leukaemia is hair loss or hair thinning. You can lose hair from your head and from other parts of your body. Some people also find they lose eyebrows and eyelashes. Whether or not this is likely to happen to you depends on the type of treatment you’re having, how much of it you’re having and how sensitive you are to the medicine.
If your hair does fall out, it will usually grow back after your treatment has finished. But it may be a slightly different colour or softer or curlier than it was before.
This depends on what type of leukaemia you have, how soon you were diagnosed and how you responded to treatment. It also depends on your age.
The team of healthcare professionals looking after you will discuss your treatment with you and tell you what to expect. They’ll talk about the different options available to you, and you can talk to them about your chances of surviving leukaemia. You’ll be monitored regularly to check for any signs that the cancer has returned. If you get any new symptoms, it's important to let your healthcare team know.
www.leukaemiacare.org.uk
bloodcancer.org.uk
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