What is Leukemia?
Leukemia is a blood cancer caused due
to an abnormal rise in the number of white blood cells in our body. The
blood cells i.e. Red Blood Cells (RBCs),
White blood Cells (WBCs) and Platelets are produced in bone marrow in the
cavities of bones.
Leukemia
begins when white blood cells produced
by bone marrow do not mature properly. These abnormal WBCs or leukemic cells
continue to accumulate and outnumber Red Blood Cells and Platelets.
These
additional and immature White Blood Cells or leukemic cells are not capable of
fighting infection and also interfere with the
functioning and production of other blood cells. As
a result of over growth of immature WBCs i.e. leukemic cells, the number of
RBCs, Platelets and healthy WBCs in blood falls.
The exact causes
of leukemia are not known. However, risk factors for development of leukemia
may be:
·
Family history of
leukemia
·
Genetic
disorders such as Down syndrome
·
Blood disorders,
such as myelodysplastic syndrome, also known as Preleukemia
·
Viral infection
·
Previous treatment
for cancer with chemotherapy or radiation
·
Exposure to high
levels of radiation
·
Exposure to chemicals
such as Benzene
·
Smoking that may
increase risk of developing Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML)
Leukemia is classified as:
- Acute – in which onset is sudden and leukemic cells multiply rapidly
- Chronic – in which the disease progression is slow.
Usually there are
four major types of Leukemia such as:
·
Acute myelogenous
leukemia (AML)
·
Acute lymphocytic
leukemia (ALL)
·
Chronic
myelogenous leukemia (CML)
·
Chronic
lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)
Depending upon type and stage, Leukemia treatment
involves procedures like:
- Chemotherapy
- Radiation therapy
- Stem cell transplantation also termed as
Bone Marrow Transplantation
- Biological Therapy
- Immune therapy
- Interferon therapy
- Targeted therapy
- Surgery
For treating slower
growing leukemia, such as chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), often oncologists
prefer to wait and watch and may not treat actively.
Symptoms of Leukemia
Generally in the early stages, symptoms are not noticed. As per type of
leukemia, different signs appear. However, common symptoms of leukemia include:
- Fatigue
or Weakness
- Bruising
or bleeding easily
- Fever
often with chills
- Night
sweats
- Severe
Infections that keep reoccurring
- Shortness
of breath
- Pain in
your bones or joints
- Headaches
- Nausea
and Vomiting
- Seizures
- Weight
loss
- Swollen
lymph nodes
- Splenomegaly
i.e. enlargement of spleen
Stages of Leukemia
For acute leukemia, there are no stages defined. However, treatment of Chronic Lymphocytic
Leukemia depends
upon its 5 different stages that include:
- Stage
0 - with too many lymphocytes in blood with no other symptoms.
- Stage
I - swollen lymph nodes because of too many lymphocytes.
- Stage
II - lymph nodes, spleen and liver are swollen because too many lymphocytes.
- Stage
III - with evident anemia because lymphocytes are crowding out red cells in
blood.
- Stage
IV - with Anemia, very few platelets in
blood and swollen lymph nodes, spleen and liver.
Cost of Leukemia Treatment in India
Cost of Leukemia treatment in India depends upon:
- Doctor’s stature and expertise
- Type of hospital
- Type of Leukemia
- Stage of Leukemia
- Treatment procedure
- Diagnostic procedures
- Additional medical or surgical treatment
- Additional services availed
About Indian Med Guru Consultants
Indian Med Group Consultants is an integrated and most professional
medical tourism company in India. It is a medical company that has coordinated
with India’s best clinicians and most updated hospitals.
The company strives to provide medical and surgical treatments as well
as other facilities such as visa procurement and priority appointments from
internationally renowned, experienced and most skilled clinicians of India at
most affordable cost to clients.
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