Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, Essays (university) of Oncology

Download Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia and more Essays (university) Oncology in PDF only on Docsity! 1 Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Valeria Miranda Keiser University RT1000: Introduction to Radiologic Technology Ms. Paola Bouchereau January 24th, 2020 2 Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia “The word 'leukemia' is a very frightening word. In many instances, it's a killer and it's something that you have to deal with in a very serious and determined way if you're going to beat it”- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. The word Leukemia can be defined as a condition or type of cancer in the blood that affects white blood cell counts in the human body. There are several types of leukemia, and they can vary in severity as well as physiology. Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia is one of the most aggressive and severe types of cancer. The word “Acute” means that it can rapidly progress by creating immature white blood cells that can spread to other parts of the body. This makes it extremely dangerous and fatal if not treated promptly. This type of cancer is commonly seen in children but can also occur in adults, although their chances of recovery are greatly reduced. I’ve learned through previous experience working in Radiology at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital that this disease can take a toll on a child’s physical and emotional health as well as their families. Some children experience hair loss, nausea, weight loss, and develop infections due to their low immune system. Although it is such a diffi- cult thing for a child to go through, it is quite remarkable to see how a majority of these children remain hopeful and in good spirits during such a difficult time in their lives. Despite the aggres- siveness of this disease, the vast majority of these patients are able to defeat this disease fully. The most rewarding part of being able to work in pediatric imaging is to see these patients that 5 in some cases, it may take weeks or months after radiation therapy for cancer to be fully eradi- cated. Bone marrow transplants consist of administering a patient with high doses of chemo- therapy radiation to be able to destroy the bone marrow cells that produce leukemia and later re- place those with healthy bone marrow from a compatible donor. According to WebMd (2017), “About eight or nine out of 10 adults achieve remission after treatments, but many relapse, which lowers the overall cure rate to 30% to 40%”. Survival rates for Children are much higher; “About 98% of children with ALL go into remission within weeks after starting treatment. About 90% of those children can be cured. Patients are considered cured after ten years in remission’’ St.Judes Children Hospital (2018). “Some people may choose to forgo treatment for cancer, instead of focusing on treatments that improve their symptoms and help them make the most of the time they have remaining,” Mayo Clinic (2019). There are a few risk factors that play a role in the development of this type of cancer. High radiation exposure can increase a person’s risk of developing ALL. According to the American Cancer Society (2018), “Japanese atomic bomb survivors had a greatly increased risk of devel- oping acute leukemia.” Exposure to Chemotherapy drugs and certain other chemical products may increase the risk o developing ALL. There are a few genetic Syndromes that have been linked to increased risk of ALL; Down Syndrome, Klinefelter Syndrome, Falcon Anemia, Bloom Syndrome, Ataxia-telangiectasia, Neurofibromatosis, and Li-Fraumeni Syndrome (Amer- ican Cancer Society 2018). Age also plays a role in the development of ALL. The occurrence of ALL is more likely in children and adults over the age of 50. Although there is no known way of preventing ALL, there are a few recommendations that could be beneficial and might even help diagnose this disease in its early stages. Getting yearly 6 checkups with your primary Physician, doing routine blood work, avoiding substances such as tobacco and dangerous chemicals may be beneficial. Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia is one of the most aggressive forms of Leukemia there can be due to its fast reproduction rate and its ability to harm vital organs. ALL has tremendous ef- fects on your overall health and immunity and can be deadly if not treated properly. Patients ex- perience painful symptoms due to this disease, but they also experience discomfort that comes with radiation/Chemotherapy treatments. Not only does it affect Adults, but it is highly prevalent in children. Statistics show that children have a much higher rate of survival than adults. It can be diagnosed by several clinical methods including blood work, biopsies, radiological imaging including X-Ray, PET/CT, MRI as well as determining a patient’s response to treatment. Leukemia treatments such as Chemotherapy, Radiation, Bone Marrow Transplants, and other clinical trials are commonly used to treat this disease and successfully achieve remission. Some have proved to be successful, resulting in a patient’s full remission, as well as others, being un- successful. Although there is no proven way of preventing this disease, living a healthy lifestyle, avoiding tobacco use, radiation exposure, and following your physician’s recommendations of getting yearly routine blood work may be beneficial in the early prevention of this disease. 7 References American Cancer Society Medical and Editorial Content Team. (2018). Risk Factors for Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL). https://www.cancer.org/cancer/acute-lympho- cytic-leukemia/causes-risks-prevention/risk-factors.html#written_by Mayo Clinic Staff (2018). Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. https://www.mayoclinic.org/. diseases-conditions/acute-lymphocytic-leukemia/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20369083 St.Judes Children Hospital (2018). Diseases, Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. https://www.stjude.org/disease/acute-lymphoblastic-leukemia-all.html WebMD. (2017). Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. https://www.webmd.com/cancer/lymphoma/acute-lymphoblastic- leukemia#2-5