Leukemia is a type of cancer that affects the blood and bone marrow. Bone marrow is the soft tissue inside our bones where blood cells, including red blood cells (RBCs), white blood cells (WBCs), and platelets, are made. In leukemia, the bone marrow produces too many abnormal white blood cells that do not function properly.
White blood cells help the body fight infections. In leukemia, the bone marrow makes abnormal white blood cells that don't do their job. These abnormal cells crowd out the normal red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets in the bone marrow, leading to problems like anemia, infections, and bleeding.
Different types of leukemia are usually based on how fast it progresses (acute or chronic) and which kind of white blood cell is affected (lymphoid or myeloid).
The symptoms of leukemia can vary, but common ones include:
Leukemia doesn't have one specific cause, but certain factors increase the likelihood of developing it:
You should consult a doctor if you experience:
To diagnose leukemia, doctors use several tests:
Do's:
Don'ts:
NOTE:
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Dr. A. V. S. Suresh is a distinguished Senior Consultant Medical Oncologist and Hematologist at Continental Hospitals, Hyderabad. With over two decades of clinical ex...
Dr. Gaurav Dixit is a highly experienced Hematologist and Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) Specialist who currently leads the Haemato-Oncology Unit at Artemis Hospital, Gurugram....
Dr. Rayaz Ahmed is a director with expertise in Cancer Care/Oncology, Bone Marrow Transplant, Hematology Oncology, and hematology (Hematology) at Max Super Speciality Hospita...
Dr. Nitin Sood is a distinguished Clinical Hematologist, Hemato-Oncologist, and Bone Marrow Transplant Specialist with nearly thirty years of clinical, academic, and research exper...
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