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Leukaemia Awareness (Part 2)
What are normal blood cells and what do they do?
Blood is made up of several parts. The liquid part is called plasma. Blood cells are made in the soft centre of the bone called the bone marrow. There are three types of cells in the blood. These are white blood cells, red blood cells and platelets. Each type of cell has a specific task. New blood cells in a less mature form are called blasts. As bone marrow cells mature, they become smaller and denser.
They can do their special job better. Some of the new blood cells remain in the bone marrow to grow. Some go to other parts of the body to grow. The body produces blood cells at a faster rate when needed. This process will help you stay healthy. This will help you understand the role of each type of blood cell.
- White blood cells. They help the body fight infections. If you have a bacterial infection, your body makes more white blood cells to fight the infection. However, if the white blood cell count is too low, the risk of infection increases.
- Red blood cells. They give your blood color. They carry oxygen from the lungs to the tissues. They also transport carbon dioxide from tissues to the lungs. When there are not enough red blood cells (known as anaemia), other cells may not be getting enough oxygen. This can cause fatigue, dizziness, weakness, headaches, and irritability.
- Platelets. It helps form blood clots and stop bleeding. An abnormally low platelet count can lead to easy bruising or heavy bleeding in the wound or mucous membranes.
Can Leukaemia Be Prevented?
For many types of cancer, there are certain factors that increase your chances of getting it, and these factors are called risk factors. So, making lifestyle changes to avoid these risks can reduce your chances of getting the disease. However, most people with leukaemia have no known risk factors.
There is no absolute way to prevent leukaemia. Smoking is associated with an increased risk of acute myeloid leukaemia (AML), so quitting smoking may reduce your risk of developing leukaemia. Quitting smoking also reduces the risk of developing lung cancer, head and neck cancer, oesophageal cancer, stomach cancer, bladder cancer, and other cancers.
What is the difference between chronic leukaemia and acute leukaemia? Leukaemia is divided into two categories. It can be acute or chronic, depending on how quickly the cells grow and progress to the later stages of the disease, and how much the leukaemia cells resemble normal cells. The disease can also be lymphoid or myeloid, depending on the type of blood cells that have turned cancerous.
Leukaemia is divided into acute and chronic
- Acute leukaemia. Cancer cells are immature blood cells that cannot do their job. The number of these cells is multiplying. If left untreated, the disease worsens rapidly.
- Chronic leukaemia. Although some young blood cells are present, the body also produces more mature functional cells. The number of explosions is slowly increasing. It takes more time for the disease to get worse. Sometimes the disease remains stable for months or years without treatment.
What are the types of leukaemia?
- Acute lymphocytic leukaemia (ALL). This is the most common type of leukaemia in children. It can also occur in adults, and the incidence increases with age.
- Acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). This type affects adults and rarely children. Also called acute non-lymphocytic leukaemia (ANLL).
- Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL). This type is mainly seen in the elderly. Occasionally it appears in young people, but rarely in children.
- Chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML). This type is mainly seen in adults. Very few children acquire this type.
Dr Ntomboxolo Mboyi has a BSc (UKZN), MBCHB (Medunsa), Fc Rad Onc (SA), and is a Postgraduate in Cancer Biology and Therapeutics: High Impact Cancer Research Program (Harvard Medical School). She is a member of the South African Oncology Consortium (SAOC), South African Society of Clinical and Radiation Oncology (SASCRO), American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), and American Brachytherapy Society (ABS) and a Chairperson of the leading body of CanSurvive, a non-benefit association offering support to cancer patients.
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