Leukemia, or leukemia - what is it? What is the fear of a disease that suddenly and completely unexpectedly strikes a person? By the way, most often at risk are children and adolescents. Today's article will be devoted to this disease.
Leukemia - what is it?
Leukemia is a malignant disease of the hematopoietic system, which has both acute and chronic course, and is expressed in violation of the division and maturation of blood cells.
Leukocytes produced by the bone marrow and performing protective functions in the body, removing bacteria and viruses from it, at some point cease to fully mature and, accordingly, can no longer perform their direct functions.
This ballast fills the hematopoietic system over time, displacing he althy blood cells and causing the manifestation of the main symptoms of this disease: anemia, bleeding, disorders in the affected organs.
Why does disease occur?
Leukemia is not yet fully understood. Unfortunately, the real reasonsno one knows the origin of the disease. But it is already known that most often this pathology appears after exposure to ionizing radiation, certain chemical compounds, and viruses. An important factor is the genetic predisposition of the organism, manifested in the features of its structure.
Acute leukemia - what is it?
Depending on the rate of development of the disease, leukemia is divided into acute and chronic. The condition of a patient with an acute form of the disease deteriorates rapidly, while chronic leukemia is almost asymptomatic for many years.
The acute form begins with a sharp rise in temperature, and sometimes signs of sore throat or stomatitis join this. This condition is accompanied by bone pain, increased weakness, decreased appetite, bouts of nausea and vomiting. On examination, an increase in lymph nodes, liver and spleen is noted. The appearance of bruises on the body is noticed even from small bruises. As a rule, the patient's body weight decreases markedly, and there is a risk of internal bleeding.
How is the diagnosis made?
Chronic leukemia can be detected during a routine examination when a blood test shows a large increase in immature cells (blasts).
A patient with suspected leukemia after a medical examination is also referred for aspiration and bone marrow biopsy. This helps to clarify the diagnosis and determine the type of leukemia in this patient. Only after thattreatment is given. And blood cancer is not always a death sentence. It all depends on how early the symptoms of the disease are detected.
When to see a doctor?
Now you know the answer to the question: "What is leukemia?" Let's learn about how to recognize the disease. You should definitely consult a doctor if:
- sore throat lasts more than 2 weeks;
- the gums are constantly bleeding, blood appears in the feces and urine, nosebleeds have become more frequent;
- you have an unexplained and persistent fever, you often suffer from infectious diseases;
- you lose weight;
- you sweat a lot at night;
- lymph nodes enlarged.
But remember that these symptoms do not always mean the presence of leukemia, they can signal other diseases. In any case, you need to undergo an examination and find out the reason for the change in well-being.
