Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia
Created | Updated Oct 2, 2003
Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia
Cancer is very deadly and has caused much suffering and pain. What is the cause of this lethal disease? To begin, one must know that cancer is genetic, something that has to do with the cells and DNA in the body. First of all, a mutation in the DNA must occur within in a cell, which causes it to perform abnormal tasks. The sun, radiation, and other chemicals that mutate the DNA can trigger these mutations. In a normal cell, a cell would continue to divide until a certain tumor suppressor gene deactivates or halts mitosis, also known as cell division. In a cancerous cell, however, the mutated cell would continue to grow uncontrollably. As a result, the cancerous cells would destroy other tissues since the cells have a confined space. Because the cells continue to divide, the cells would be squished and would then invade the space of the other tissue, killing it. Although this sounds terrible, nearly 60% of cancer patients that find out they have cancer survive.
Cancer cells have a way to develop and overcome the safety mechanisms that the cell has produced. One of these examples has to deal with cell life. Every strand of DNA has telomeres, segments on the ends of DNA that protect it from being harmed or mutated. As each cell divides, the telomeres shorten. Once the telomeres are completely cut off and the division begins to destroy the DNA, the cell dies. However, cancer cells have found a way to overthrow that by producing an enzyme, telomerase, which increases the length of the telomeres.
A tumor is a mass of cells that are not formed on the extracellular matrix, which is the structure of how the cells are placed. Normal cells have to be attached to this matrix, but cancer cells do not need to. A tumor can either be benign or malignant. The difference between the two is that benign tumors do not invade the territory of other places in the body, whereas malignant tumors do. They are restricted and kept at a particular site, and they do not destroy other tissue.
A substance known as plasma makes up our blood. There are three primary components to plasma. First are red blood cells. Red blood cells take oxygen from the lungs and circulate it throughout the body. It also takes the used carbon dioxide from body parts and returns it to the lungs. Second are white blood cells. They fight viruses and diseases; they are your bodies’ defense system. Finally, there are platelets. These keep bleeding under control when you damage your body by forming blood clots. These are created in the bone marrow.
Leukemia is when your body produces a large amount of mutated blood cells. These are unable to perform their average duty as well as regular blood cells. Usually, the white blood cells are the cells that are deformed. In chronic leukemia, blasts, or new cells, are produced less often, and the ones that are created are unable to function properly. Over time, the condition gets worse. Chronic lymphocytic leukemia, CLL, is when the lymphocyte white blood cells are the ones that begin to encounter troubles. Other types of leukemia include chronic myelocytic, which affects the monocyte blood cells, and acute leukemias, which are a leukemia that occur very rapidly.
There are three types of white blood cells. The type that CLL infects is the lymphocytes. These white blood cells are responsible for destroying cancer cells and viruses that enter the body. Lymphocytes consist of two major types: T and B. T lymphocytes can detect specific proteins that are released when viruses enter the body. The T cells would then release a chemical, cytokine, which would destroy the virus. The B lymphocyte produces substances known as antibodies. The specific antibodies would then attach to a specific virus or bacteria which would call for other cells to come and kill it.
People suffering from CLL can have a number of symptoms and problems; however, the symptoms do not show up until later in life (50’s – 60’s). Regardless, Leukemia is regarded as the “disease of childhood” since it is very common during childhood. Leukemia usually affects adults more than children, which may lead you to the conclusion that the disease’s effects start to show as age increases. (Infotrac) In an earlier prediction by the American Cancer Society, they made the projection of approximately 30,800 people will be diagnosed with Leukemia. 8,100 of these people diagnosed will have CLL. The symptoms of CLL include –
- fatigue
- swollen lymph nodes
- red spots under the skin
- bleeding gums
- excessive sweating
- joint pain
- weight loss
People may look pale because there are not enough blood cells to carry the oxygen to the various places of the body. People may also be more susceptible to damage and may bleed without significant provocation.
Leukemia affects both men and women alike, but the cause for the disease is unknown. As of yet, scientists have discovered a link that people who suffer from leukemia generally are those who are exposed to radiation or specific chemicals. When someone is infected with the disease, it is very difficult to detect it. It holds no red flags, so the only way to consider it as a reason for the symptoms above is through a routine checkup. To confirm the diagnosis of leukemia, doctors would carry out a bone marrow biopsy. A bone marrow biopsy is when a piece of bone marrow is removed from your body and the tissue is then scanned at a laboratory. Blood tests are also used to check the amount of blood cells with patients having leukemia. Other tests include MRI’s, x-rays, and other types of scans.
Leukemia consists of five stages, including zero. In each stage the health of the patient grows worse and worse, leading eventually to death. Stage 0 CLL is usually unnoticed, and therefore not treated. People with stage 0 often don’t know that they are harboring. Treatment begins in stage 1 CLL. Treatments consist of low doses of radiation therapy and chemotherapy, when specific drugs are given according to the stage of the cancer. Sometimes, however, people decide not to act upon the problem, and merely let it be. In stage II Chemotherapy continues, as well as involved-field radiation. The radiation therapy often returns results and can extend the life of the patient for months or even years. Also, Bone marrow stem cell transplantations are in progress. Stage III CLL is when the patient is further declining in health. Treatment is essentially the same as in Stage II. Finally, stage IV is the last stage. Nothing more can be done, however chemotherapy is still used to prolong death. (WebMD) The average time it takes someone to progress through all of these stages is nine years.
Bone Marrow Transplantation is not a recommended option because of the fact that leukemia spreads throughout the whole body. A new, experimental treatment is known as Immunotherapy. Substances known as monoclonal antibodies are exposed to a specific radioactive material and then injected into an infected patient. The antibodies would then attach to the surface of the infected cells, therefore destroying it with the radioactivity.
At the moment, there is no cure or way to prevent the disease from spreading and developing. There are only ways to reduce factors of developing the cancer. Staying clear of radiation and unknown chemicals reduce the risk of acquiring mature leukemia within your body.
Cancer is very deadly and has caused much suffering and pain. What is the cause of this lethal disease? To begin, one must know that cancer is genetic, something that has to do with the cells and DNA in the body. First of all, a mutation in the DNA must occur within in a cell, which causes it to perform abnormal tasks. The sun, radiation, and other chemicals that mutate the DNA can trigger these mutations. In a normal cell, a cell would continue to divide until a certain tumor suppressor gene deactivates or halts mitosis, also known as cell division. In a cancerous cell, however, the mutated cell would continue to grow uncontrollably. As a result, the cancerous cells would destroy other tissues since the cells have a confined space. Because the cells continue to divide, the cells would be squished and would then invade the space of the other tissue, killing it. Although this sounds terrible, nearly 60% of cancer patients that find out they have cancer survive.
Cancer cells have a way to develop and overcome the safety mechanisms that the cell has produced. One of these examples has to deal with cell life. Every strand of DNA has telomeres, segments on the ends of DNA that protect it from being harmed or mutated. As each cell divides, the telomeres shorten. Once the telomeres are completely cut off and the division begins to destroy the DNA, the cell dies. However, cancer cells have found a way to overthrow that by producing an enzyme, telomerase, which increases the length of the telomeres.
A tumor is a mass of cells that are not formed on the extracellular matrix, which is the structure of how the cells are placed. Normal cells have to be attached to this matrix, but cancer cells do not need to. A tumor can either be benign or malignant. The difference between the two is that benign tumors do not invade the territory of other places in the body, whereas malignant tumors do. They are restricted and kept at a particular site, and they do not destroy other tissue.
A substance known as plasma makes up our blood. There are three primary components to plasma. First are red blood cells. Red blood cells take oxygen from the lungs and circulate it throughout the body. It also takes the used carbon dioxide from body parts and returns it to the lungs. Second are white blood cells. They fight viruses and diseases; they are your bodies’ defense system. Finally, there are platelets. These keep bleeding under control when you damage your body by forming blood clots. These are created in the bone marrow.
Leukemia is when your body produces a large amount of mutated blood cells. These are unable to perform their average duty as well as regular blood cells. Usually, the white blood cells are the cells that are deformed. In chronic leukemia, blasts, or new cells, are produced less often, and the ones that are created are unable to function properly. Over time, the condition gets worse. Chronic lymphocytic leukemia, CLL, is when the lymphocyte white blood cells are the ones that begin to encounter troubles. Other types of leukemia include chronic myelocytic, which affects the monocyte blood cells, and acute leukemias, which are a leukemia that occur very rapidly.
There are three types of white blood cells. The type that CLL infects is the lymphocytes. These white blood cells are responsible for destroying cancer cells and viruses that enter the body. Lymphocytes consist of two major types: T and B. T lymphocytes can detect specific proteins that are released when viruses enter the body. The T cells would then release a chemical, cytokine, which would destroy the virus. The B lymphocyte produces substances known as antibodies. The specific antibodies would then attach to a specific virus or bacteria which would call for other cells to come and kill it.
People suffering from CLL can have a number of symptoms and problems; however, the symptoms do not show up until later in life (50’s – 60’s). Regardless, Leukemia is regarded as the “disease of childhood” since it is very common during childhood. Leukemia usually affects adults more than children, which may lead you to the conclusion that the disease’s effects start to show as age increases. (Infotrac) In an earlier prediction by the American Cancer Society, they made the projection of approximately 30,800 people will be diagnosed with Leukemia. 8,100 of these people diagnosed will have CLL. The symptoms of CLL include –
- fatigue
- swollen lymph nodes
- red spots under the skin
- bleeding gums
- excessive sweating
- joint pain
- weight loss
People may look pale because there are not enough blood cells to carry the oxygen to the various places of the body. People may also be more susceptible to damage and may bleed without significant provocation.
Leukemia affects both men and women alike, but the cause for the disease is unknown. As of yet, scientists have discovered a link that people who suffer from leukemia generally are those who are exposed to radiation or specific chemicals. When someone is infected with the disease, it is very difficult to detect it. It holds no red flags, so the only way to consider it as a reason for the symptoms above is through a routine checkup. To confirm the diagnosis of leukemia, doctors would carry out a bone marrow biopsy. A bone marrow biopsy is when a piece of bone marrow is removed from your body and the tissue is then scanned at a laboratory. Blood tests are also used to check the amount of blood cells with patients having leukemia. Other tests include MRI’s, x-rays, and other types of scans.
Leukemia consists of five stages, including zero. In each stage the health of the patient grows worse and worse, leading eventually to death. Stage 0 CLL is usually unnoticed, and therefore not treated. People with stage 0 often don’t know that they are harboring. Treatment begins in stage 1 CLL. Treatments consist of low doses of radiation therapy and chemotherapy, when specific drugs are given according to the stage of the cancer. Sometimes, however, people decide not to act upon the problem, and merely let it be. In stage II Chemotherapy continues, as well as involved-field radiation. The radiation therapy often returns results and can extend the life of the patient for months or even years. Also, Bone marrow stem cell transplantations are in progress. Stage III CLL is when the patient is further declining in health. Treatment is essentially the same as in Stage II. Finally, stage IV is the last stage. Nothing more can be done, however chemotherapy is still used to prolong death. (WebMD) The average time it takes someone to progress through all of these stages is nine years.
Bone Marrow Transplantation is not a recommended option because of the fact that leukemia spreads throughout the whole body. A new, experimental treatment is known as Immunotherapy. Substances known as monoclonal antibodies are exposed to a specific radioactive material and then injected into an infected patient. The antibodies would then attach to the surface of the infected cells, therefore destroying it with the radioactivity.
At the moment, there is no cure or way to prevent the disease from spreading and developing. There are only ways to reduce factors of developing the cancer. Staying clear of radiation and unknown chemicals reduce the risk of acquiring mature leukemia within your body.
