Question

What are risk factors, causes, sign/symptoms, treatment of ALL, CLL, AML, CML

Answer 1

ALL : Acute lymphoblastic leukemia

ALL is the cancerous condition of lymphocytic blood cells where B-cells and T-cells known as lymphocytes uncontrolably multiply in number.

Risk factors of ALL :

ALL affects infants as well as adults. The risk factors can be classified into 2-

Genetic risk factors:

1. Downs syndrome

2. Li Fraumeni syndrome

3. Klenfelters syndrome

4. Abnormally high birth weight

5. neurofibromatosis type 1

6. ataxia-telangiectasia

7. paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria

Environmental risk factors:

1. Radiation exposure

2. Exposure to toxins and pesticides

3. Earlier treatments with chemotherapy

Causes:

The cause of ALL is unknown.

Genetic mutations in lymphoblastic cells of body which mature to form B cells and T cells is the main mechanism behind ALL. The lymphoblastic cells keeps multipling in number without any negative feedback mechanism leading to defective blood cell production and development.

Symptoms:

1. Generalised fatigue and body pain

2. Fever, headache, vomiting

3. Recurrent infections due to compromised immune system

4. Cranial neuropathies due to cranial nerve involvement

5.loss of apettite

6. Loss of weight

7. Bruises on body

8. Prone to bleeding which is excessive

9. Anemia

10. Petechiae

11. Hepatomegaly and spleenomegaly

Treatment of ALL:

1. Chemotherapy

2. Radiation therapy

3. Immunotherapy

4. Stem cells transplant

CHRONIC LYMPHOBLASTIC LEUKEMIA

It is type of cancer where bone marrow produces large number of lymphocytes.

Risk factors

1. Family history

2. Radiation exposure

3. Old age

Causes

It occurs due to genetic mutations of bone marrow and lymphocytes

Symptoms

Initially no symptoms are seen. Later on symptoms like fever, fatigue, weight loss, wekness are seen

It occurs in old age people.

Treatment

1. Chemotherapy and radiation therapy

2. Biological therapy

3. Bone marrow transplant

CHRONIC MYELOID LEUKEMIA

It is cancer of myeloid cells of bone marrow. Myeloid cells multiply rapidly and get accumulated in blood. Proliferation of granulocytes and their precursor is found.

Risk factors

1. Increasing age

2. More common in males

3. Radiation exposure

CML is associated with chromosomaltranslocation called as philadelphia chromosome.

Causes: unknown

Symptoms: usually asymptomatic

1. Hepatosplenomegaly

2. Fever

3. Bone pain

4. Loss of apettite and weight

Trermatment:

Tyrosine kinase inhibitor drug

Bone marrow transplant

Myelosuppresive drugs

Radiation therapy

Leukopheresis

ACUTE MYELOID LEUKEMIA

It is same as CML only it is more fatal and rapidly spreading.