Leukemia

Leukemia is a cancer of the blood-forming tissues in which millions of abnormal white blood cells crowd out normal ones. Though usually considered a childhood disease, leukemia strikes over 25,000 adults annually, compared to 2,500 young people. Leukemia causes some 18,000 deaths in a typical year.

People of all ages and both genders are at risk for leukemia, although those with Down's syndrome and certain other genetic abnormalities tend to experience a higher incidence of this disease. While we don't know what causes leukemia in most cases, excessive exposure to ionizing radiation and certain chemicals are suspected to be contributing factors.

The early warning signs of leukemia include paleness, fatigue, weight loss, a tendency to bruise easily, repeated infections, and hemorrhages such as nosebleeds. Any of these symptoms can appear suddenly in acute leukemia. The progress of chronic leukemia can be slow and produce no symptoms for years.

The treatment of leukemia usually consists of chemotherapy to kill the attacking abnormal blood cells. Treatment varies according to the specific type of leukemia.

Drugs used to treat leukemias include methotrexate, cytarabine, vincristine, prednisone, L-asparaginase, daunorubicin, doxorubicin, thioguanine, cyclophosphamide, amsacrine, and mitoxantrone--alone or in combination.

Treatment of infections associated with the disease may include antifungal, antibacterial, and antiviral drugs. Bone marrow transplants are effective in some cases.

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