All About Leukemia
What is leukemia?
Leukemia is a cancer of the blood or blood cells. There are several types of leukemia and these are classified by how quickly they progress and what cell they affect. In order to understand how leukemia affects the cells, it is helpful to first understand what normal blood cells do.
- White blood cells (also called leukocytes) are the body's infection fighting cells. There are several different types of white blood cells.
- Red blood cells (also called erythrocytes) give blood its red color, but more importantly, carry oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body and return carbon dioxide to the lungs as waste.
- Platelets (also called thrombocytes) help the body form blood clots to control bleeding.
- In addition to these three cell types, the blood also contains fluid called plasma.
All of these products are formed in the bone marrow, a spongy area located in the center of bones. Larger bones have more bone marrow, and therefore produce more cells. The larger bones include the femur (top part of the leg or thigh), the hip bones, and parts of the rib cage. The bone marrow contains a small percentage of cells that are in development and are not yet mature. These cells are called blasts. Once the cell has matured, it moves out of the bone marrow and into the circulating blood. The body has mechanisms to know when more cells are needed and has the ability to produce them in an orderly fashion.
In the case of leukemia, one blood cell goes awry (in the majority of cases this cell is a white blood cell) and the body produces large numbers of this cell. When looked at under a microscope, these abnormally produced cells look different then the healthy cells and do not function properly. The body continues to produce these abnormal, non-functional cells, leaving little space for healthy cells. This imbalance of healthy and unhealthy cells is what causes the symptoms of leukemia.
What are the types of leukemia?
Leukemias are classified by two factors, how quickly the disease develops and what cells are affected. The disease is either classified as acute or chronic, referring to how quickly it develops and progresses. In acute leukemia, the white blood cells multiple very rapidly and are very immature, and therefore cannot function properly (remember, immature cells are called blasts). The blood fills with blasts quickly, causing the patient to develop symptoms and seek medical attention.
In chronic leukemia, the blasts form more slowly, allowing the body to continue to produce functional cells, causing fewer symptoms for the patient. These cases are often diagnosed during a routine physical or blood work. Chronic leukemia may cause the spleen to become enlarged, which can be felt by the doctor during a physical, prompting further investigation.
The types are further divided by the type of white blood cell that is affected, lymphoid cells or myeloid cells. These types are called lymphocytic leukemia and myelogenous leukemia, respectively.
The types include:
- Acute myeloid leukemia (also called AML) - occurs in both children and adults.
- Acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) - the most common type seen in children, but also seen in adults, most often over 65.
- Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) - occurs mostly in adults, young and old.
- Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) - most often seen in people over age 55, can affect younger adults, but almost never seen in children.
Am I at risk for leukemia?
In 2016, there were an estimated 60,140 new cases of all types of leukemia diagnosed. Across the life span, 1.5 percent of all men and women will be diagnosed with leukemia. An estimated 345, 422 people in the US are living with or in remission from leukemia. Leukemia affects people of all ages. Leukemia is more prevalent in males than females. Acute leukemia is more common than chronic leukemia. In adults, the most common types are AML and CLL. In children and adolescents, ALL is the most common type of leukemia. Leukemia tends to be more common in non-Hispanic whites. The lowest frequency of leukemia diagnosis occurs amongst Asian, Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native populations.
Unfortunately, we do not know what causes most cases of leukemia. Several things have been identified as risk factors - that is, exposure to them puts a person at a higher risk of developing leukemia, but it is not a certainty that this exposure will lead to leukemia. These factors include exposure to high-energy radiation, like that released from a nuclear accident or bomb. Some genetic syndromes, such as Down's syndrome, put a person at higher risk. People who work with the chemical benzene over a long period of time also have a greater chance of getting leukemia. Some scientists feel that exposure to electromagnetic fields, like those that come from power lines, may put a person at higher risk, but this has not been proven. Prior treatment with certain types of chemotherapy and having a personal history of certain blood disorders such as myelodyplastic syndrome (MDS), are also risk factors. Finally, smoking cigarettes increases the risk of acute myelogenous leukemia because it is a source of exposure to benzene. It is important to realize that many patients with leukemia do not have any identifiable risk factors.
How can I prevent leukemia?
Because we do not know the exact cause, it is not possible to recommend ways to prevent leukemia. If possible, one should avoid smoking, exposure to radiation, and the chemical benzene.
What screening tests are available?
Leukemia is not a cancer that we screen for because it is rather rare (accounting for 3% of all new cancer cases), and early detection does not improve survival in most cases. To determine if a person has leukemia, a blood count would be drawn by the doctor, which would show an abnormally low or high number of white blood cells in a person with the disease. Regular physicals by your healthcare provider are your best method of screening.
What are the signs of leukemia?
The blast cells are unable to perform their normal function of fighting infection, so patients may develop fevers or infections that won't go away. As the number of immature cells (blasts) increases, the normal cells are crowded out. This leads to low red blood cell counts and low platelet counts. A low red cell count is called anemia, which may cause the patient to feel tired or appear pale. A low platelet count affects blood clotting, causing the patient to bleed or bruise easily.
As mentioned before, acute leukemia tends to cause symptoms more rapidly than chronic leukemia. These patients tend to go to their healthcare provider because they feel sick. In chronic leukemia, symptoms may not appear for some time, and when they first appear, they may be mild. These cases are often found during a routine physical.
Some common symptoms include: fever, chills, weakness and fatigue, swollen or tender lymph nodes, liver or spleen, easy bleeding or bruising, swollen or bleeding gums, night sweats, weight loss, and bone or joint pain. In acute leukemia, the abnormal cells can accumulate in the brain or spinal cord, causing headaches, vomiting, confusion, or seizures.
How is leukemia diagnosed?
In both acute and chronic leukemia, the healthcare provider asks about medical history and conducts a physical exam. During the exam, abnormalities such as enlarged spleen, liver or lymph nodes may be detected, prompting further investigation. A laboratory test called a complete blood count would find blast cells present in the blood, thus suggesting a diagnosis of leukemia. This test can reveal that the patient has leukemia, but further testing is required to determine the type.
To determine the type of leukemia, the healthcare provider takes a sample of the bone marrow. This is done by inserting a needle into a bone (usually the hip bone) and removing a sample of the marrow. These cells are examined under a microscope, allowing the physician to determine what cell is abnormal, and whether it is an acute or chronic leukemia. It may also be necessary to perform a lumbar puncture (spinal tap) to determine if leukemia cells have entered the nervous system. This decision is dependent on the type of leukemia and the patient's symptoms.
How is leukemia treated?
Treatment is dependent on the type of leukemia, and may differ dependent on the patient's age, health and extent of the disease. Due to the relative rarity of the disease, it is recommended that patients receive treatment at a medical center that is experienced in treating the disease. Acute leukemias need to be treated quickly. The goal of therapy is to induce a remission, which means there is no evidence of leukemic cells, and the body returns to normal. Once this is achieved, patients often receive further therapy to prevent a relapse (return of the disease), which is called consolidation therapy.
Chronic leukemias may not need to be treated right away, depending on the symptoms at diagnosis. It has been thought in the past that chronic leukemias could never be cured, but this thinking has changed with the development of new therapies.
Clinical trials are extremely important in furthering our knowledge of this disease. It is through clinical trials that we know what we do today, and many exciting new therapies are currently being tested. Talk to your healthcare provider about participating in clinical trials in your area. You can also explore currently open clinical trials using the OncoLink Clinical Trials Matching Service.
Follow-up care and survivorship
Patients with acute leukemia are followed closely, with frequent monitoring of blood cell counts, to watch for relapse, after therapy has induced a remission. Patients who have a remission that lasts five years are generally considered cured. In chronic leukemia, blood counts may be monitored for years, with or without treatment, depending on the case.
Fear of recurrence, relationships and sexual health, financial impact of cancer treatment, employment issues, and coping strategies are common emotional and practical issues experienced by leukemia survivors. Your healthcare team can identify resources for support and management of these challenges faced during and after cancer.
Cancer survivorship is a relatively new focus of oncology care. With some 15 million cancer survivors in the US alone, there is a need to help patients transition from active treatment to survivorship. What happens next, how do you get back to normal, what should you know and do to live healthy going forward? A survivorship care plan can be a first step in educating yourself about navigating life after cancer and helping you communicate knowledgeably with your healthcare providers. Create a survivorship care plan today on OncoLink.
Resources for more information
OncoLink Articles on Types of Leukemia
- Acute myeloid leukemia (also called AML)
- Acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL)
- Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML)
- Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)
SEER Statistics, https://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/leuks.html, retrieved 8 Feb 2016.
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Facts 2014-2015 www.lls.org/site/default/files/file_asset/facts.pdf retrieved 8 Feb 2016.
Davis, A. S., Viera, A. J., & Mead, M. D. (2014). Leukemia: an overview for primary care. Am Fam Physician, 89(9), 731-738.
Niederhuber, J. E., Armitage, J. O., Doroshow, J. H., Kastan, M. B., Tepper, J. E., & Abeloff, M. D. (2014). Abeloff's clinical oncology, 5th edition (2186 p.).