Acute lymphoblastic leukemia: causes, symptoms, treatment

Blood cancer or leukemia is at least four types, acute lymphoblastic leukemia or also called acute lymphocytic leukemia is one of them. Leukemia is most common in children. Learn more about the causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of this acute lymphoblastic leukimoa!

What Is Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia?

Leukemia is also known as blood cancer. Leukemia can be divided into several types and some of which are acute leukemia and also chronic. One type of acute leukemia is acute lymphobalstic leukemia or acute lymphocytic / lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).

My lymphocytic leukemia or acute lymphoblastic leukemia is the most common type of blood cancer in children. ALL cause lymphocyte function is inhibited so that the formation of lymphoid tissue is inhibited, even though this network is the most important in the immune system.

This is what then causes lymphoblastic leukemia causes sufferers to be susceptible to various diseases and have infections. Although it is most common in children, leukemia can also affect adults, especially in the elderly.

Causes of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Previous causes of acute lymphoblastic leukemia are not known clearly, but there are some suspicions that might trigger ALL from electromagnetic radiation, high voltage electricity, to exposure to chemicals around our environment.

Apart from these various triggers, a new analysis shows this acute lymphiblastic leukemia disease. Reported by Big Think, Prof. Mel Greaves, from the Institute of Cancer Research , London, states that modern germ-free lifestyles contribute to the formation of this disease.

According to Prof. Greaves, children can be born with certain genetic mutations that occur accidentally in ramih. This mutation will cause children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia potential. After birth, during the first year the body finds various microbes that make the immune system more trained.

Lack of microbial exposure due to anti-germicidal or 'too clean' lifestyle that can train the immune system turns out to weaken the immune system and actually develop acute lymphoblastic leukemia in this child. However, leukemia infections generally only occur in 1% of the population of babies who have mutations during the womb.

Risk Factors for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

There are several factors that can cause a person to be at higher risk of acute lymphoblastic leukemia such as the following:

Have a brother (brother or sister) who has a history of leukemia

Down syndrome

Radiation exposure

Have had chemotherapy or radiotherapy

Exposure to excessive harmful chemicals

Symptoms of acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Symptoms of acute lymphoblastic leukemia can appear gradually depending on the stage of the disease. In the beginning the symptoms that appear may be very mild to unconscious. In general, the following are symptoms of lymphoblastic leukemia that may appear:

Anemia that causes weakness and shortness of breath.

Fever

Bleeding due to lack of platelets, can cause nosebleeds, bleeding gums, easy body bruising

Swollen clear lymph glands

Pale skin

Headaches and anxiety due to leukemia cells attack the brain

Bone and joint pain due to leukemia cells nest the bone marrow

The body is susceptible to infection

Weight loss

Production of excessive sweating at night

Acute lymphoclastic leukemia diagnosis

The diagnosis of ALL can be done through blood tests and examination of the spinal cord. Spinal cord examination is done to see whether or not abnormal cell development is present. In addition, X-ray examination of the chest, CT scan, and ultrasound are needed if needed.

Treatment of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Basically acute lymphoblastic leukemia in children and adults can be cured. The way to treat acute lymphoblastic leukemia is to destroy leukemia cells so that normal cells can grow and return to working properly.

How to treat acute lymphoblastic leukemia must be done intensively so that the possibility of requiring the patient to be hospitalized as long as several weeks in the hospital. The initial treatment begins with drug therapy, then followed by chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

The new step of chemotherapy can be done if the body responds well to the drug therapy given at the beginning. Spinal cord transplantation is also sometimes needed to overcome ALL.

After intensive treatment carried out for several weeks to eliminate leukemia cells, further treatment will also be given in the form of consolidated chemotherapy.

This additional treatment aims to eradicate the remaining cancer cells in the body so that the cancer does not develop again later on. This procedure can be done for 2-3 years after intensive treatment is done.

Things that ALL Patients Must Observe

ALL attacks most children, of course the role of parents is very important in preventing ALL and also in the treatment period for children who already have ALL.

The first thing that can be done to prevent acute lymphoblastic leukemia in children is by letting the child develop properly and not need to keep the cleanliness too extreme.

As for ALL sufferers, here are things that must be considered:

ALL sufferers have low immunity, so it is better to avoid contact with people who are infected (sick).

If symptoms appear, although mild, you should immediately consult a doctor.

Follow the treatment according to the doctor's procedures and instructions. Do not use any drugs that have not been known for sure benefits.

Keep food intake and drink plenty of water to maintain your body's resistance.

So much information about acute lymphoblastic leukemia or acute lymphocytic leukemia. If you experience one of the symptoms, do not panic and immediately consult a doctor to get further treatment immediately.

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia: causes, symptoms, treatment