LEUKEMIA

Definition

• cancer in the bone marrow
• it produces abnormal white blood cells
• body blood forming tissues and bone marrow and lymphatic system

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most common type of leukemia in young children

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) most often affects adults over the age of 55

Acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) occurs more commonly in adults than in children, and more commonly in men than women.

Treatment

• Radiation therapy
• Chemotherapy  

Diagnosis

• Physical exam
• blood tests
• biopsy
• bone marrow aspiration
• Bone marrow biopsy

Untitled Slide

• Cytogenetics
• Spinal tap
• chest x-ray

How common is it in the U.S.?

• An estimated 43,000 patients are diagnosed with leukemia in the United States each year
• 22,000 patients will die of their disease.
•  While the median age of diagnosis is 64, the disease strikes children as well as the elderly and may occur at any age in between. 
•  The lifetime risk of developing leukemia is 1.3%, or one in 78 people.

what the purpose?

• chemotherapy treatment fight the different forms of leukemia, and to prevent the disease from recurring. 

What is the outcome of the prognosis?

• it depends on the type of treatment and status of the patient 

description

• radiation uses high energy rays to kill leukemia cells
• chemo uses drugs to destroy leukemia cells