Prime Types and Causes of Leukemia
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Prime Types and Causes of Leukemia

Leukemia is a cancer that affects the body’s blood-forming tissues in the bone marrow and lymphatic systems. There are quite a many types of leukemia that strike certain age groups. For instance, some leukemias are common in children while others are more prevalent in adults. All types of leukemia involve the white blood cells, which are the infection fighters of the body. However, with leukemia, these cells produced by the bone marrow grow and divide in an abnormal fashion, which comprises their overall function as protective cells.

 

While there has been no conclusive research to prove the exact cause of leukemia, medical researchers speculate the cause originates due to a combination of both environmental and genetic factors. The occurrence of leukemia happens when some white blood cells acquire DNA mutations, which impacts instructions received for cell function. While there may be other changes in a cell that contribute to the development of leukemia, studies do show that these abnormalities within the cell cause the growth and the rapid division, which leads to the abnormal cells overpowering healthy blood cells in the bone marrow, and a drop in red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets, which results in the cancer known as leukemia.

 

Classifications of leukemia

 

Leukemia is divided into types based on the speed of progression and the way in which the cells actually divide. Based on cell progression type, leukemia can be broadly classified into these types:

 

  1. Acute leukemia

Acute leukemia occurs when abnormal blood cells, known as blasts (also called immature blood cells) multiply rapidly thereby causing cell dysfunction and worsening cancer.  Acute leukemia requires an aggressive and timely treatment approach to stop it from causing further damage.

 

  1. Chronic leukemia

In the case of chronic leukemia, there are many subtypes since they can either produce too many cells or only produce a limited number of cells. This involves more mature blood cells and their pace of progression, which is typically slow and thereby allows the cells to function normally for a short span of time.

 

Based on the type of white blood cell affected, leukemia can be further classified into lymphocytic leukemia or myelogenous leukemia:

 

  1. Lymphocytic leukemia

As the name indicates, lymphocytic leukemia affects the lymphocytes that are present in the lymphoid or lymphatic tissue, which makes up the body’s immune system.

 

  1. Myelogenous leukemia

In this type of leukemia, the myeloid cells are affected and these are the one that is responsible for the production of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets.

 

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