Leukemia Essay

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Leukemia

Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML), this is what six-month-old Ryan had. He started off with a cold that was going around his family. Once he got over this cold he started running a high fever and his pediatrician was concerned (Ryan’s story). The pediatrician took blood samples and the results were that Ryan had Leukemia. AML is an aggressive and fast-growing cancer of the blood and bone marrow. Ryan went through two rounds of chemotherapy and he needed a stem cell transplant. A week before Ryan’s first birthday he received what he needed to fight off his AML. Ryan is now a cancer survivor. Leukemia is a very fatal disease and is everywheres in the world.

Leukemia is a disease that affects blood-forming cells in the body (Fayed). It is a form of cancer where you have abnormal white blood cells in your body. Leukemia usually starts in the bone marrow and then spreads elsewhere. It is a disease that can be found in both children and adults. The way doctors can find out you have Leukemia is through a Physical Exam, Blood Tests, Biopsy (a procedure where a sample of cells are removed to be tested for cancer), or a Lumbar Puncture/Spinal Tap (when a small amount of spinal fluid is removed from the spaces between the vertebrae in the spine and then examined) (Fayed). Leukemia is a disease that people can fight off by having certain treatments like chemotherapy done.

There isn’t really one cause of Leukemia although there has been some known causes. If you smoke you have a higher risk of getting cancer. Many people over the age of 60 have some risk of getting it. People who have gone through previous chemotherapy or radiation therapy may get Leukemia. Those who may have down syndrome or myelodysplastic syndrome (a blo...

... middle of paper ...

... then this means the child is more likely to get Leukemia.

Survival in the Caribbeans is lower than developing countries like the United States (Global). Although HTVL-1 is manly only around in the Caribbeans and Japan there are not a lot of people infected with it. Only 0.3% to 7% in the general population, 2% to 7% in pregnant women, and 5% HIV infected persons test positive for HTVL-1 (Global).

Leukemia is a horrible disease that is common in both children and adults. There are mainly four types of Leukemia and there are treatments for Leukemia. It can be fatal but most people can survive it. Those who have Leukemia go through a lot to get rid of it and it is very tiring. HTLV-1 is a retrovirus in the Caribbeans and Japan that is causing people to get Leukemia. There is a higher survival rate in developing countries than countries like the Caribbeans.

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