Posts Tagged ‘White Blood Cells’

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Signs-Symptoms And Life-Expectation In Acute Leukemia

Comments: 0August 1st, 2011 by admin



First occurring signs in the development of acute forms of leukemia are bruising and bleedings caused by the decreased number of platelets, fatigue and pales due to the anemia caused by insufficient red blood cells, reoccurring infections and late healing due to abnormal number and function of white blood cells. These symptoms are however not specific for the Leukemia condition and for a precise diagnose further testing is required such as analysis of blood and bone marrow.

A certain cause of Leukemia is not yet known as it can affect persons of all ages and both sexes. A link however between leukemia and benzene prolonged exposure or high doses of radiations could be established. But most cases cannot be rationally explained.

The main target of the Leukemia treatment is to annihilate all existing abnormal cells in blood and bone marrow. A complete remission means no left trace of cancerous modifications. Some of the treated cases show a reoccurrence of the disease with other signs and symptoms. In acute leukemia forms, after five years of remission after treatment the patient can be qualified as cured and the condition rarely reoccurs.

In the last 25 years the percent of surviving subjects has increased due to new therapy ways. The overall five-year survival rate is 44% today, with significant progresses compared to the 1960′s rate of only 14%. The rate of survival differs by age, type of leukemia and previous health status. In the case of acute lymphocytic Leukemia the rate is 58%, in the chronic form it reaches 71%, in acute myelogenous Leukemia the rate is 14% and the chronic form reaches 32% five-year survival.

In present there are about 144000 patients suffering from Leukemia in the USA. The rate of survival in children suffering from acute lymphocytic leukemia is 81% if detected in early stage. For children diagnosed with acute myelogenic Leukemia the rate is 43%.

In 2001 about 12500 male subjects are known to have died from Leukemia and a lower number of 9500 women, in the United States. The estimated number of chronic lymphocytic deaths yet to occur is 4600 and 1400 from acute lymphocytic forms. Acute myelogenous Leukemia is expected to produce 7200 deaths and chronic myelogenous Leukemia about 2300 deaths. Other forms of leukemia will be responsible for approximately 600 death cases.

For males under 40 and for women less than 20 leukemia represents the main cause of death. The estimated rate of deaths in males of Leukemia is 25% higher than in females. The percent of death cases in children has decreased in the last 30 years but the rate still remains high.

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Why Did My Doctor Order This Lab Test? What is a CBC?

Comments: 0July 6th, 2011 by admin



This is the first in a weekly series to help the average non-medical person understand the laboratory tests their physician orders, what kind of sample is required, what does the test measure and what conditions can be diagnosed based on the results.

The Complete Blood Count or CBC is one of the most common, useful and important laboratory tests available in medical diagnoses. It is routinely ordered in annual physicals and Emergency room visits.

The CBC is an automated group of parameters of red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets used in detecting leukemias, anemias, blood loss and infections among other diseases and disorders. It is general examination of blood.

The test sample for a CBC is either a blood sample taken from the arm or fingerstick for adults and children, and heelstick for newborns.

The different parameters available in the typical CBC include:

• White Blood Cell count (WBC)
This is an actual count of the amount of white blood cells per volume of blood. This is useful for the detection of possible infection, neutropenia and other disorders.

• Red Blood Cell count (RBC)
This is an actual count of the amount of red blood cells per volume of blood. Low amounts of rbc’s could be an indicator of an anemia.

• Hemoglobin
This is a protein that is contained inside the rbc. It measures the oxygen carrying capacity in the blood.

• Hematocrit
This represents the volume of rbc’s suspended in plasma in the person’s circulating blood. Both the hemoglobin and hematocrit are low in cases of blood loss.

• Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV)
This is a measurement of rbc size. Depending on whether the MCV is high or low could indicate certain conditions such as anemias or thalassemias.

• Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin (MCH)
This is a measure of the amount of hemoglobin in the individual rbc.

• Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin Concentration (MCHC)
This is the amount of hemoglobin in circulating rbc’s regardless of the size of the rbc.

• Red Cell Distribution Width (RDW)
This is a calculation of the variation in the size of the rbc’s.

• Platelets
This is the amount of platelets in a given amount of blood. Platelets are important in blood clotting.

Your doctor will use the CBC as a screening test to see your general health status like in an annual physical. It may also be ordered to rule out infections, fatigue or other patient complaints. It is an important first test in the discovery of serious diseases like anemias and many other blood disorders.

What is a “normal” or reference range? It is a set of values of some measurement that a physician or other health professional can use to interpret a set of results for a particular patient. You will see the reference ranges on the lab report next to your lab result. Your lab result will be either low, normal or high based on this range.

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A Short Classification Of Leukemia Cells

Comments: 0June 10th, 2011 by admin



In the bone marrow are produced the leukemia cells which are abnormal and immature.These cells are classified in two types:lymphoid leukemia cells and myeloid leukemia cells.The abnormal, immature cells called leukemia cells are produced by blood-forming tissue and these are named after the lymphoid or myeloid cells.

It is better to know about the normal blood cells and about the form of these.So,in the bone marrow,which is the soft material in the center of most bones, are formed the blood cells.The immature blood cells called stem cells and blasts are produced by the marrow.

These blood cells become mature,they can be formed into one of three types of mature blood cells like:red blood that carry oxygen and other materials to all tissues of the body,white blood cells that fight infection and disease,platelets that help prevent bleeding by causing blood clots to form.

One of two types of stem cells are created by mature blood cells like lymphoid stem cells or myeloid stem cells.As they grow they become lymphoid blasts, they transform in lymphocytes and then passes into white blood cells.In the same way myeloid cells grow,passes into myeloid blasts, then myelocytes and finally they become either white blood cells, red blood cells or platelets.

Abnormal cells are produced in the bone marrow and they can be either abnormal lymphoid cells or myeloid cells;appears only at people with leukemia.Lymphocytic leukemia is formed by the abnormal lymphoid cells and the myeloid leukemia is created by the abnormal myeloid cells.The types of leukemia based on the leukemia cells are four and they are the following:chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL),chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML),acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

Too many stem cells develops into either abnormal lymphoblasts or lynphocytes conduct to the appearance of lymphoid leukemia cells.Unfortunatelly lymphoblastic and lymphocytic are not abble to fight infection because of the number of lymphocytes arrises in the blood and bone marrow,there is less space for healty white blood cells,red blood cells and platelets, which can cause infection anemia and easy bleeding.

At people with leukemia there are three types of lymphocytes they became abnormal:B lymphocytes that make antibodies to help fight infection,T lymphocytes that help B lymphocytes make the antibodies that help fight infection and natural killer cells that attack cancer cells and viruses.It is important for as to know the classification of these cells and their role.

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What is Aplastic Anemia?

Comments: 0May 7th, 2011 by admin



Aplastic anemia is a condition that can have a significantly negative effect on the cells in a human body. Even if the illness is considered to be a rare one, thousands of individuals are still diagnosed every year worldwide. A number of treatment options are available for patients with this disease; however, there are cases when the body does not respond positively to the treatment – these are the cases when the disease can lead to life-threatening situations.

Every human body has platelets, red blood cells and white blood cells traveling through its bloodstream at any given time; all of these cells are responsible for ensuring that the body’s functions are carried out properly. The bone marrow (which is the spongy material located in the center of the bones) is where these cells are produced. The bone marrow is responsible for keeping the blood cells healthy and producing at a rate which the body requires; when a person is diagnosed with this disease, it means that their body is not producing the blood cells in the rate that is needed for the body to keep functioning in a healthy way.

Details of Aplastic Anemia

A lot of people are wondering how is different from other types of blood cancer, such as leukemia. The fact of the matter is that these cancers are all related in some way, with every single one of them attacking the human body’s blood. More serious cases have a way of eventually developing into full-blown leukemia.

When an individual’s blood level does not have adequate amounts of red blood cells, aplastic anemia occurs. These red blood cells are essential in making sure that oxygen is carried through the different parts of the body. Without these cells (and as a result, without the adequate amounts of oxygen carried throughout the body), it is not possible for a person not to feel fatigue and dizziness on a regular basis. A person who is positively diagnosed has bone marrow that has ceased to

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What is Leukemia?

Comments: 0May 1st, 2011 by admin



More and more research is being done now about leukemia and what we know about it. Scientists and researchers are learning more and more as they study its causes. They are also developing better and much more effective ways to treat it. Adults and children with leukemia can look forward to a better quality of life and less chance of dying from the disease because of all the research that has been done and continues to be done.

Leukemia is cancer that starts in the blood-forming tissue of the body, like the bone marrow. This year, it is estimated that there will be another 44,270 cases of leukemia diagnosed and about 21,700 deaths caused by it. That’s too many. One is too many, but these figures are way, way down from what they were only a few years ago. There was a time when a diagnosis of leukemia was a certain death sentence; but that is no longer the case, and the numbers are improving every year.

The bone marrow in people who have the disease produces abnormal white blood cells. These abnormal cells are the leukemia cells. In the beginning, they function and behave almost normally, but eventually they start to crowd out normal white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets. When this happens, the blood can’t do its job, which is carry oxygen to all parts of the body.

There are four basic types of leukemia:

1. Chronic lymphocytic leukemia: It is responsible for about 7,000 new cases of leukemia each year. People diagnosed with the disease are usually over the age 55, and chronic lymphocytic leukemia almost never affects children.

2. Chronic myeloid leukemia: It is responsible for about 4,400 new cases each year. Adults are most often diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia.

3. Acute lymphocytic leukemia: It is responsible for about 3,800 new cases each year. Acute lymphocytic leukemia is the most common type of leukemia in young children, but it can also affect adults.

4. Acute myeloid leukemia: It is responsible for about 10,600 new cases each year. Acute myeloid leukemia occurs in both adults and children at about the same rate.

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What is Aplastic Anemia?

Comments: 0March 27th, 2011 by admin



Healthy bone marrow produces new blood cells; but when a person has aplastic anemia (a rare condition) the bone marrow cannot perform this function properly. Platelets, white and red cells are produced by healthy bone marrow, and referred to as “stem cells.” The three different types of cells each have an important function within the body. The bone marrow needs to constantly make new cells, because cells have a limited life span. The cells have different life spans; white blood cells only have a life expectancy of less than a day, platelets are around for about 6 days, and red blood cells live for about 120 days. Anemia is a condition in which the number of red blood cells is insufficient. This blood disorder occurs when the body cannot produce enough of all three kinds of blood cells, or has stopped producing them altogether. There is no know cause.

When an individual has this disease, the body is not getting enough oxygen-rich blood to all the organs of the body. The elimination of carbon dioxide from the cells of the body is an important function of red blood cells. These same cells carry carbon dioxide — a waste product — to the lungs, where it can be exhaled from the body.

Persons with aplastic anemia often feel tired and have hearts that have to work harder to pump blood to the body’s tissues and organs; this causes stress that, over time, can cause an irregular heart beat, an enlarged heart, or possibly heart failure. White blood cells fight infection, so too few of them can cause a person to develop illnesses more readily. Bleeding within the blood vessels is prevented by the formation of blood clots, and platelets perform this vital function. Without properly formed blood clots the individual can bleed to death.

The condition of aplastic anemia is very rare; in the U.S., only 500 to 1,000 new cases occur each year.

Aplastic anemia is either hereditary, or acquired, or triggered, by chemotherapy, viral infections, radiation, or toxic chemicals. Treatment requires the blood count to be checked frequently. Treatments for aplastic anemia include blood transfusions, bone marrow transplants, and medications to suppress the immune system, stimulate the production of stem cells, and to treat infections.

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Symptoms of Chronic and Acute Leukemia

Comments: 0December 27th, 2010 by admin



Discovering leukemia while it is still in an early phase is crucial in its treatment because when the disease advances it starts to spread in the whole body and it’s much harder to be treated.

Therefore it’s important to learn the symptoms of leukemia so that you can can detect its signs and take the appropriate measures. Symptoms however may vary from one person to another and they also depend on what type of leukemia the patient has. Leukemia can be divided into two major types: acute leukemia and chronic leukemia, each having its specific symptoms.

Leukemia symptoms result from the fact that the blood cells of someone suffering from leukemia are diseased and they can’t fulfill their role anymore.

Patients with acute leukemia have too little red blood cells in their bodies which leads to a general feeling of weakness and to a pale color.

On the other hand, a person with too many abnormal white blood cells can develop fever, is very easily bruised, will suddenly start bleeding out his/her nose or gums and sometimes they will feel pain in the joints.

Other common symptoms of leukemia are pain in the abdomen, swollen lymph nodes, weight loss, sweating, and if the disease spreads to the brain headaches, disorientation, balance problems and confusion appears.

Acute leukemia develops much faster that chronic leukemia, but it’s easier to be discovered because people come at the doctor because they feel sick. Chronic leukemia develops much slower but it’s harder to detect it because very often it shows no specific symptoms and it’s discovered when it has already advanced a lot. Always feeling weakend and getting infections often can be a sign so visit your doctor for an accurate diagnosis.

If someone reports a few of these symptoms to the doctor then some special tests must be performed to determine whether the person has leukemia or not and if he/she has it then some other tests need to be done to determine what kind of treatment gives the best results.
The lymph and blood marrow must be examined and blood samples must also be processed in order to establish an accurate diagnosis. Once the leukemia diagnose is established chemotherapy usually begins. The survival rate gets higher and higher each year.

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Aplastic Anemia Treatment

Comments: 0October 5th, 2010 by admin



People living with mild to moderate aplastic anemia are in serious condition but do not have to be hospitalized for treatment. With extremely low counts of all types of blood cells, the disease is considered severe and life-threatening that hospitalization for treatment is immediately required.

There are different treatment options recommended for every level of the illness. For the mild to moderate aplastic anemia, blood transfusions and medications are still appropriate choices; but for the severe cases, bone marrow transplants may be the only option.

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Anemia Signs and Symptoms

Comments: 0August 20th, 2010 by admin



Human blood consists of red blood cells, which transports oxygen from out our lungs to our tissues; white blood cells, which shield us against bacteria, viruses, and foreign substances, along with blood-clotting factors. In addition, nutrients, hormones, electrolytes, and waste products to and from every cell in the body are also transported by blood. If this carefully regulated system was to breakdown or suffer an imbalance, anything from fatigue, cerebral hemorrhage, and death can occur. Maintaining rich healthy blood is of vital importance to ones survival, and can be achieved by eating whole, pure healthy foods, drinking pure water, and breathing pure air.

The lack of vitamin B12 and a deficiency in the number or the hemoglobin content of the red blood cells are all causes of the most common types of anemia. Other types of anemia, which includes leukemia, sickle cell anemia, and hemophilia, are not represented in this article.

Symptoms of common types of anemia

When one has anemia involving the red blood cells various types of fatigue, weakness, headache, dizziness, fainting, thirst, irregular heartbeat, feeling cold, sleepiness, bad memory, paleness, backache, depression, loss of appetite, and constipation can be ubiquitous. If extreme blood loss is involved then one may experience shock. However, if one is suffering with pernicious anemia they may experience general weakness, numbness, or tingling of the extremities, soreness in the mouth, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.

The most common causes of anemia are a result of a poor diet, which includes a lack of vitamins, minerals, and protein deficiencies. Causes that are more common are acute and chronic bleeding. Anemic conditions can also be caused due to a blood transfusion, congenital or autoimmune disorders, or kidney disease. Unfortunately, if one is eating a proper diet and still experience setbacks with anemia, the body might be unable to absorb the adequate nutrients it requires.

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Child Leukemia – Generalities, Symptoms and Treatment

Comments: 0June 7th, 2010 by admin



Leukemia interferes with the body’s production of white blood cells. These cells are supposed to fight infections with viruses or bacteria, and when someone has leukemia, they are defective and their number is largely increased, but because they are not fulfilling their role any more, although their number can increase ten times the body’s defense system is seriously weakened and any infection can be very dangerous.

Unfortunately leukemia can affect young children too, and the number of child leukemia cases keeps increasing.
There are two types of leukemia – acute leukemia – a cancer that develops and evolves very fast and it affects all the white blood cells, and chronic leukemia – it develops slower and healthy white blood cells can still be found.

More than 95% of the child leukemia cases are acute leukemia. Acute leukemia can also be divided into acute acute myelogenous leukemia and lymphocytic leukemia acute myelogenous leukemia because there are two types of blood cells, and each type of leukemia affects a different kind of blood cells. More than half of the children with leukemia have acute lymphocytic leukemia.

The symptoms of acute leukemia start with fever, and continue with many infections, because the child is weak against any damaging foreign microorganisms.
When the disease advances the child becomes anemic and begins to have a pale color. He will always feel a sensation of weakness and fatigue which will prevent him from playing outdoors.
All leukemia patients, including children can be bruised very easy, and the often bleed for no reason. When bleeding occurs it cannot be stopped for a long time because leukemia affects the cells responsible for healing wounds.

If the illness is not discovered and it is left untreated it starts spreading through the body and it can reach the brain, affecting some of the senses and causing headaches.

In order to diagnose child leukemia the child must go through a series of special tests. If the result is positive then therapy must begin as soon as possible. First some new tests must be performed to determine what kind of therapy works best. In most cases chemotherapy is used because it has the highest survival rate. Chemotherapy is also accompanied by drugs.
The purpose of the therapy is to heal the bone marrow, the organ that produces the defective blood cells and to kill all the malfunctioning cells from the body. If the therapy is successful it must still be continued because the cancer can re-appear.
In some more severe cases a bone marrow transplant is needed.

The good news is that therapy is getting better and better and most of the children survive this illness, but the survival rate depends on how far the cancer has advanced and on what form of it the child has.

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