Down Syndrome Research Paper

2040 Words5 Pages

Peyton Owen
Bio 1014
5 December 2016

I. Introduction:
In our world today, Down Syndrome, also known as Trisomy 21, is one of the most common genetic conditions. Down Syndrome affects one in every 691 babies each year. Approximately 400,000 Americans have Down Syndrome and around 6,000 babies in the United States are born with it every year (“What is Down Syndrome”). It is very likely for a child with Down Syndrome to develop leukemia in their lifetime. The risk of leukemia is much higher for that of someone with Down Syndrome than it is for someone not affected by Down Syndrome. So, is there some kind of connection between the development of Leukemia in children with Down syndrome? II. What is Down …show more content…

The disease is known by the uncontrolled growth of blood cells, usually white blood cells in the bone marrow (“Leukemia Information”). The leukemia cells overcrowd and replace normal blood and marrow cells (“Leukemia Information”). Leukemia is likely to occur when when some blood cells have mutations in their DNA. There could be other changes in cells that could contribute to the forming of Leukemia (“Leukemia”). According to Leukemia Causes - Mayo Clinic, Certain abnormalities cause the cell to grow and divide more rapidly and to continue living when normal cells would die. Over time, these abnormal cells can crowd out healthy blood cells in the bone marrow, leading to fewer healthy white blood cells, red blood cells and platelets, causing the signs and symptoms of leukemia (“Leukemia”). Leukemia is classified based on its speed of progression and the type of cells involved …show more content…

First there is Acute leukemia. Acute leukemia is when the abnormal blood cells are immature blood cells, known as blasts (“Leukemia”). They can’t carry out their normal functions, and they multiply rapidly so the disease worsens quickly (“Leukemia”). Acute leukemia is probably the most aggressive form of leukemia. This form requires aggressive timely treatment. (“Leukemia”) When Chronic leukemia occurs, cells are only capable of maturing partly. The cells are unable to to mature completely in this type of leukemia (“Leukemia”). Although the cells look fairly normal, they are not (“What is Chronic Myeloid Leukemia”). Generally, they do not fight off infection as well as normal white blood cells do. With Chronic leukemia, it usually takes a while before they cause problems (“What is Chronic Myeloid Leukemia”). Most people are able to live many years with Chronic leukemia, but chronic leukemia is generally harder to cure than acute leukemia (“What is Chronic Myeloid Leukemia”). In acute leukemias, cells do not mature and progress the way they should, causing the immature cells to continue to reproduce and build up (“What is Chronic Myeloid Leukemia”). Without treatment, people generally live for a few months. In some cases, the leukemia responds favorably well to treatment and the patient can be cured (“What is Chronic Myeloid

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