What is leukaemia?

My 45-year-old brother was recently diagnosed with Leukamia. Kindly let me know what this is about. Thanks.

Nneka (by SMS)

Leukemia is a cancer of the blood or bone marrow, which produces blood cells. Leukemia develops when damage occurs to the DNA of developing blood cells, mainly white cells. This causes the blood cells to grow and divide uncontrollably. As the bone marrow produces more cancer cells, they begin to overcrowd the blood, preventing the healthy white blood cells from growing and functioning normally. This also affects the platelets and red blood cells.

Eventually, the cancerous cells outnumber healthy cells in the blood. Experts often do not know why leukemia happens, but environmental and genetic factors likely. While genetic features may not cause leukemia, they may make it more likely to appear in certain conditions, for example, after exposure to some chemicals or infections. Treatment options will depend on: the type of leukemia, the person’s age, their overall health. A cancer care team will tailor this to suit the type of leukemia. Treatment that starts early is more likely to be effective.

Symptoms of leukemia vary according to the type. They include the following: Easy bruising or bleeding. In addition, because Leukemia affects the platelets in the body, making it harder for blood to clot. A person may: bruise easily and often, have small wounds that bleed a lot and heal slowly, have nosebleeds or bleeding from the gums, develop petechiae — tiny red spots on the skin or have purpura — purple areas on the skin. Without treatment, leukemia can be fatal, but medical progress means a person is more likely to survive with leukemia than in the past.

Overall, a person with leukemia has a 65.7% chance of surviving at least another 5 years after diagnosis. The outlook for people with leukemia depends on the type. The person’s age and overall health will also play a role. A doctor cannot predict how long an individual is likely to live with leukemia, but statistics from past studies can show some trends. Treatment can lead to remission, when all the signs of leukemia have disappeared. A person will still need monitoring and tests for some time to ensure leukemia does not return.

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