Leukemia symptoms vary, depending on the type of leukemia. Common leukemia signs and symptoms include

Leukemia is cancer that starts in the tissue that forms blood. To understand cancer, it helps to know how normal blood cells form. Most blood cells develop from cells in the bone marrow called stem cells. Bone marrow is the soft material in the center of most bones. Stem cells mature into different kinds of blood cells. Each kind has a special job

Leukemia symptoms vary, depending on the type of leukemia. Common leukemia signs and symptoms include:

• Fever or chills
• Persistent fatigue, weakness
• Frequent or severe infections
• Losing weight without trying
• Swollen lymph nodes, enlarged liver or spleen
• Easy bleeding or bruising
• Recurrent nosebleeds
• Tiny red spots in your skin (petechiae)
• Excessive sweating, especially at night
• Bone pain or tenderness

Bone marrow

Bone marrow is a spongy material that is found inside the bones, and it produces all of the blood cells. It also produces vital cells called stem cells that can create other specialised cells that carry out essential functions. These specialised cells are of three types:

* Red blood cells which carry oxygen around the body

* White blood cells which help fight infection

* Platelets which help stop bleeding

Acute leukaemia prevents the affected bone marrow from producing stem cells that mature into adult blood cells. Instead it releases numerous immature blood cells called blast cells. The immature white blood cells begin to rapidly disrupt the normal balance of cells in the blood, limiting the presence of red blood cells or platelet cells in the body. This can lead to tiredness and other

symptoms of anaemia, and also increase risk of excessive bleeding. The patient also becomes more vulnerable to infection as the white blood cells are not properly formed and thus ineffective in

fighting bacteria and viruses.

Types of acute leukaemia

There are two main types of white blood cells classified according to the type of white blood cells that are affected by cancer:

Lymphocytes which are mostly used to fight viral infections

Myeloid cells which fight bacterial infections defend the body against parasites and prevent the spread of tissue damage

The two main types of acute leukaemia are:

Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, which is cancer of the lymphocytes

Acute myeloid leukaemia, which is cancer of the myeloid cells

Acute myeloid leukaemia

It is more common in older people, especially when over 50 years of age, and more common in males than females, though it is not clear why. The causes of acute leukaemia are uncertain, but known risk factors include:

Exposure to high levels of radiation

Exposure to benzene, a chemical that is used in manufacturing and is also found in cigarettes

The lack of healthy blood cells in the blood supply causes most of the symptoms of acute leukaemia, which usually begin slowly before rapidly escalating in severity as the number of blast cells in the blood increases.

Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia

ALL is the most common type of cancer found in children, though it is uncommon on an overall basis. Approximately one in every 2,000 children will develop ALL. The majority of cases develop in the age group of two to five year olds, and 85 per cent develop in children below the age of 15.

Treatment

Treatment for AML involves two stages:

Induction: The aim of the initial stage of treatment is to kill the leukaemia cells in the bone marrow, restore the blood to proper working order and resolve any symptoms that may be present.

Consolidation: This stage aims to kill any remaining leukaemia cells that may be present in the central nervous system.

Treatment for ALL involves three stages:

Induction

Consolidation

Maintenance, which involves taking regular doses of chemotherapy tablets to prevent the leukaemia returning. This seems to be the most effective stage.

Other treatments

The other treatments that are used in some circumstances are:

• Radiotherapy
• Stem cell transplant
• Targeted therapies

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