Cancer is terrifying in any manner, but leukemia is unquestionably one of the worst. Every three minutes, a new patient is diagnosed with it or lymphoma in the United States, according to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society [1]. And though anyone can get this disease, most people aren’t tested for it. That’s why it’s important to be aware of leukemia’s early warning signs.
What Is Leukemia?
Leukemia is a cancer that affects the bone marrow and other blood-forming tissues. Long-term exposure to BPA, formaldehyde, arsenic, and benzene, as well as genetic predisposition, can lead to this disease. [2] According to Healthline, there are four forms of leukemia:
- Lymphocytic is most often found in children
- Acute myelogenous affects adults and children
- Chronic myelogenous usually develops in adults
- Lymphoblastic affects adults past the age of 55 most commonly
Early Warning Signs
A steadily spreading leukemia is difficult to detect until it has advanced. Fast-spreading variants, on the other hand, has identifiable manifestations, such as:
- Unexpected weight loss: People who lose weight without changing their diet or workout schedule may be suffering from this disease without even knowing it.
- Fever: Although an increased temperature is the body’s normal means of combating illnesses and viruses, a constant, almost regular fever may be a symptom of this deadly disease.
- Skin Rashes: You might have to get checked if you have a rash with a tight cluster of little red bumps.
- Easy bruising: Bruising in children that aren’t clarified by accidents or hard play is a tell-tale sign of this silent killer.
- Fatigue: Consult a doctor if a good night’s sleep does not ease the exhaustion and nausea, even if getting out of bed is incredibly difficult.
- Swollen Lymph Nodes: A cold can cause swelling in your lymph nodes for a few days, but this disease may cause swelling for months.
How to Treat Leukemia
Treatment for this form of cancer, as with any cancer, regardless of the type, is difficult. Nonetheless, the following are the most common therapies for leukemia:
- Chemotherapy: According to the Mayo Clinic, chemotherapy is the most effective cure for cancer of all sorts, including this one. [3] Patients receiving chemotherapy take a single medication or a cocktail of medications in pill or injection form.
- Targeted Therapy: The doctor may pursue leukemia-specific treatments and drugs that attack cancer cells’ identified vulnerabilities in certain cases.
- Radiation Therapy: Another popular therapy that can be paired with other approaches is the use of x-rays to discourage cancerous cells from developing and to destroy them.
- Stem Cell Transplants: This is a newer procedure that involves eliminating a cancer patient’s bone marrow and replacing it with healthy stem cells.
There are a variety of other treatment options available, as well as new ones being developed. Your doctor is always available to talk about the best course of action.
Detect the disease early for the best results
It’s never easy to be diagnosed with leukemia, but it’s critical to seek help and treatment as soon as possible in order to improve your chances of survival. If you need to do some research on treatment options, go online and compare them before making a decision.
[2] https://www.healthline.com/health/leukemia#types
[3] https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/leukemia/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20374378
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