Chronic lymphocytic leukemia is one of the most frequently diagnosed types of blood cancer in Poland. However, many people are not diagnosed. A complete blood count helps in the diagnosis.
- How does chronic lymphocytic leukemia present?
- Blood test and leukemia
- How is lymphoblastic leukemia treated?
Currently, chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL, in English CLL - chronic lymphocytic leukemia) accounts for a quarter of all diagnosed leukemias, although it is predicted that the diagnosis will be diagnosed in an increasing number of patients. Up to 70 percent of CLL cases affect people over 65 years of age who are aggravated by multimorbidity. Young people of working age also suffer from chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Among the reasons are genetic factors. Although according to statistics, this type of blood cancer is more common in men, women also suffer from it (more than a decade ago, this leukemia was diagnosed in the famous designer Eva Minge).
How does chronic lymphocytic leukemia present?
In Poland, CLL affects about 17,000 people. In many patients, chronic lymphocytic leukemia does not cause specific symptoms that could be associated with cancer. Most often, the disease is detected by chance, during a routine blood test. However, the patient may experience some symptoms that he does not attribute to cancer.
Symptoms of chronic lymphocytic leukemia include:
-
recurrent and frequent infections,
-
weight loss for no apparent reason
-
swollen lymph nodes (including cervical, inguinal, axillary),
-
weakness and fatigue
-
night sweats and fever
-
abdominal pain, feeling of fullness or enlargement of the abdomen,
-
lower abdominal pain,
-
bone pain.
Blood test and leukemia
Hematologists encourage patients to have regular blood tests, at least once a year, it is best to set a specific date for testing, which we will adhere to every year. It can be, for example, our birthday or the first day of spring - a characteristic date that we will not miss.
It is important to perform regular morphology, e.g. because it measures the number of white blood cells (B-lymphocytes). Leukocytes are necessary for the formation of human immunity. In the case of chronic lymphocytic leukemia, a large number (over 5000/µl if this value persists for more than 3 months) should be of concern. In healthy people, B-lymphocytes have a specific life cycle, while in sick people the situation is different - they do not die, but the body continues to produce them. As a result, there are too many lymphocytes - they begin to accumulate in the blood, in the bone marrow and in the lymph nodes or spleen. Too many abnormal B cells reduce the number of normal cells that make proteins called gamma globulins. As a result, immune disorders and recurrent infections occur, which are characteristic symptoms of CLL.
How is lymphoblastic leukemia treated?
Doctors emphasize that a newly diagnosed disease does not always require immediate treatment. The patient should be referred to a hematology clinic for observation. On the other hand, up to 30 percent of patients with a diagnosis will never require treatment, but only constant and regular examinations by a hematologist. With the development of medicine, there are more and more opportunities for sick people, including targeted treatment. New treatments significantly improve the prognosis of patients with CLL.
Source: Wprost
I have worked in the news industry for over 8 years. I have a deep understanding of how the news industry works and how to get information out to the public. I am also an author at Daily News Hack, where I mostly cover health news. I have a keen interest in health and fitness, and I firmly believe that knowledge is power when it comes to taking care of your body. I want to help people live healthier lives by sharing my knowledge with them, and LinkedIn is the perfect platform for me to do that.
