Risk of leukemia
Although all the causes of leukemia are not known, there are risks that have been linked to the development of various types of leukemia. There are both environmental and genetic factors that has links with leukemia.
The type of leukemia is a person usually depends on the type of abnormal white blood cells that are produced in the body. Leukemia produces abnormal or immature white blood cells in the bone marrow. During the early development of whiteblood cells, an explosion is the form of immature white cells. This is the stage between stem cells in bone marrow and blood of children. Blast cells (immature blood cells) are found in limited numbers in the bone marrow of healthy people and not at all in the blood. People with leukemia may have a large number of blasts in the bone marrow and also circulate in the bloodstream.
The different types of leukemia are classified as acute or chronic. Acute leukemiausually produces immature white blood cells, which are not working. These cells reproduce rapidly and crowd out healthy cells. chronic leukemia produces abnormal blood cells do not function as normal blood cells. These forms of leukemia are slower acting on the body that acute forms of leukemia.
The acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is more common among adults and causes the rapid development of immature white blood cells in the bone marrow and crowding out normal cellspropagation of these cells do not work the whole body. This interference in the work routine of normal blood cells. chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) causes an increase in uncontrolled growth of myeloid cells in bone marrow and a large amount of white blood cells. severe anemia is the result of the overabundance of white blood cells.
The acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is most common in children under fifteen. This rapidly growing malignant leukemiaimmature white blood cells crowd out normal white blood cells. This type of leukemia respond well to treatment if diagnosed in time. In chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is a defective white blood cell is produced in abundance. This cell does not fight against infection and the crowd on healthy cells. Often, chronic lymphocytic leukemia is discovered only after a blood test when the high white blood cell count is.
Some risk factors that researchers have identifiedinclude high doses of radiation, chemical exposure to long-term workplace, smoking, and agricultural chemicals. High doses of radiation, such as around the Chernobyl nuclear reactor has no exposure in the military or nuclear explosions in 1950 show a strong link with leukemia. Exposure to benzene, herbicides and pesticides have been associated with acute leukemia.
CLL has been associated with exposure to agricultural chemicals exposureAgent Orange. Smoking appears to have a significant relationship with acute leukemia. This is probably due to chemicals such as benzene, polonium-210 and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Some chemotherapy drugs, particularly alkylating agents in combination with ionizing radiation to produce leukemia. Some diseases caused by abnormal chromosomes may increase the risk of leukemia. Philadelphia chromosome is a chromosomal disorder in which specific parts of two chromosomes are exchanged.This can lead to acute myeloid leukemia.