famous people with leukemia

Leukemia is a cancer of the bone marrow or blood which is normally accompanied by impaired blood clotting, anemia, and abnormal expansion of the liver, spleen and lymph nodes. A wide range of diseases fall under leukemia.

Leukemia is clinically and pathologically subdivided into a variety of large groups. The first division is between its acute and chronic forms Acute leukemia is characterized by the rapid increase of immature blood cells. This crowding makes the bone marrow unable to produce healthy blood cells.

Immediate treatment is required in acute leukemia due to the rapid progression and accumulation of the malignant cells, which then spill over into the bloodstream and spread to other organs of the body. Acute forms of leukemia are the most common forms of leukemia in children.

Chronic leukemia is distinguished by the excessive build up of relatively mature, but still abnormal, white blood cells. Typically taking months or years to progress, the cells are produced at a much higher rate than normal cells, resulting in many abnormal white blood cells in the blood.

acute leukemia must be treated immediately, chronic forms are sometimes monitored for some time before treatment to ensure maximum effectiveness of therapy. Chronic leukemia mostly occurs in older people, but can theoretically occur in any age group.

The different leukemias likely have different causes. Known causes include natural and artificial ionizing radiation, viruses such as Human T lymphotropic virus, and some chemicals, notably benzene and alkylating chemotherapy agents for previous malignancies.

Use of tobacco is associated with a small increase in the risk of developing acute myeloid leukemia in adults. A few cases of maternal fetal transmission have been reported. Leukemia, like other cancers, results from somatic mutations in the dna which activate oncogenes or deactivate tumor suppressor genes, and disrupt the regulation of cell death, differentiation or division.

These mutations may occur spontaneously or as a result of exposure to radiation or carcinogenic substances and are likely to be influenced by genetic factors. Cohort and case control studies have linked exposure to petrochemicals, such as benzene, and hair dyes to the development of some forms of leukemia.

Viruses have also been linked to some forms of leukemia. For example, certain cases of all are associated with viral infections by either the human immunodeficiency virus or human T lymphotropic virus, causing adult T cell leukemia lymphoma.

One report suggests exposure to certain germs may offer children limited protection against leukemia. Some people have a genetic predisposition towards developing leukemia. This predisposition is demonstrated by family histories and twin studies. The affected people may have a single gene or multiple genes in common. In some cases, families tend to develop the same kind of leukemia as other members in other families, affected people may develop different forms of leukemia or related blood cancers.  

goodbye letter for co workers