Leukemia

The two main types of Leukemia are: Lymphocytic
and Myeloid Leukemia

Calling all kids. If you have any sports cards, you could help a child with leukemia feel better by donating your cards to Assure a Cure: Sports Cards for Kids Program.

Visit the ThinkQuest site Leukemia and Human Genome to learn more about the types of leukemia and their diagnosis, causes, and treatment options. This site also explains the human genome and its possible benefits and issues.

How did the sick kid get to the hospital?
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Leukemia is a cancer of the blood cells, the bone marrow, lymph nodes and the spleen. Certain cells, either a white blood cell, a red blood cell, or a platelet is “hijacked.” When a cell is “hijacked” it is unable to do its job in the body. For instance, one of the jobs of platelets is to help stop the bleeding if you're cut. If the platelets were hijacked, it would take the cut a lot of time to stop bleeding.

There are four types of leukemia: acute lymphocytic leukemia, acute myeloid leukemia, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and chronic myeloid leukemia. Acute forms of leukemia produce abnormal cells fast and must be treated quickly. Chronic forms of leukemia slowly produce abnormal cells. Myeloid leukemia affects antibodies and platelets. Lymphocytic leukemia affects white blood cells.

Acute lymphocytic leukemia is the most common type of leukemia in children. It also affects adults, mostly over age 65. Acute myeloid leukemia is found in adults and children. It is also called acute nonlymphocitic leukemia.

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia is found mostly in adults over 55 years of age. It is sometimes found in younger adults, but almost never in children. Chronic myeloid leukemia is found in adults for the most part. Few children develop this disease.
Here are some of the common symptoms of leukemia:

Fever, chills, and other flu symptom
Weakness and fatigue
Frequent infections
Loss of appetite and/or weight
Swollen or tender lymph nodes, spleen or liver
Easy bleeding and /or bruising
Tiny red spots (called petechiae) under the skin
Swollen or bleeding gums
Sweating especially at night
Bone or joint pain

There are many treatments for leukemia. These depend on the patient’s needs, the type of leukemia, features of the abnormal cells that leukemia creates, how the disease has progressed, age of patient, symptoms, general health, and whether leukemia has been treated before. Acute leukemia can be cured if it is treated quickly. Chronic leukemia can seldom be cured.

Chemotherapy is a treatment in which a patient takes cancer cell killing drugs. Radiation therapy is sometimes used with chemotherapy. It uses high-energy rays to damage cancer cells so they don’t grow. A bone marrow transplant is a procedure in which unhealthy marrow is replaced by healthy marrow. Biological therapy is a process in which substances are introduced into the immune system to alter the system’s response to cancer.

Side effects of treatment are often severe and can vary from person to person. In all treatments, not only cancer cells will be destroyed but healthy cells as well. All side effects go away with time. Chemotherapy side effects include the lowering of the body’s immune system’s strength. Chemotherapy may also lower the patient’s energy; they will bruise or bleed easier. The patient may lose hair, have mouth sores, nausea, and vomiting. Radiation therapy side effects include fatigue, hair loss, and skin in the treated area to become red, dry, tender and itchy. It may also cause nausea, vomiting and loss of appetite.Side effects of bone marrow transplants include increased risk of infection and bleeding in addition to the side effects of chemo and radiation therapies. On top of this, the patient may come down with graft-versus-host disease (gvhd). In gvhd marrow that was implanted reacts against the patient’s tissues. The disease is unpredictable in its severity and occurrence.

One day I went to Subway with my mom. When we were purchasing our food I saw a board that had quarter slots in it. It was a funding for leukemia research. It had a picture of a girl on it. It said help save the children. The slots were almost full. I hope they raise lots of money.

The Make-a-Wish Foundation of America is an organization that lets children who have life threatening diseases enjoy the richness of life. Each child can make a wish for most anything. Make-a-Wish was started in 1980. It has been serving children with life threatening diseases for 23 years.

Locks of Love is an organization that collects hair. The hair it collects is made into wigs for people with hair loss. Any time you are at the barber you can ask for your hair back. You can donate it by putting your half in an envelope and addressing it with the following:
2925 10th Ave. North, Ste. 102
Lake Worth, FL 33461
For toll free information call: 1-888-896-1588

Joke Answers

1) He Flu Return

Citations

Druker, Brian J. "Leukemia." World Book Online Reference Center. 2004. World Book, Inc. 23 Feb. 2004. <http://www.worldbookonline.com/wb/Article?id=ar320760.>

Images

Images of hair, present ,sub, red blood cell and bones from "Microsoft Office Online" <http://office.microsoft.com/clipart/default.aspx?cag=1> Images free for non-profit and personal use. (October-February, 2003-2004).