Leukemia is a type of blood cancer where the bone marrow produces an excessive number of abnormal white blood cells that crowd out healthy red blood cells and platelets. There are four main types of leukemia - acute lymphocytic leukemia, acute myelogenous leukemia, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and chronic myelogenous leukemia - which are classified based on the affected cell type and speed of progression. Common symptoms include fatigue, bruising, fever, infections, and swollen lymph nodes. While the exact cause is unknown, risk factors include smoking, radiation exposure, family history, and genetic disorders. Diagnosis involves blood and bone marrow tests, and treatment options depend on the leukemia type and severity.

1. Leukemia

2. What Is Leukemia?
• Leukemia is a blood cancer caused by a rise in the number of white blood
cells in your body.
• Those white blood cells crowd out the red blood cells and platelets that your
body needs to be healthy.The extra white blood cells don’t work right.

3. How does leukemia happen?
 Blood has three types of cells: white blood cells that fight infection, red
blood cells that carry oxygen, and platelets that help blood clot.
 Every day, your bone marrow makes billions of new blood cells, and most of
them are red cells.When you have leukemia, your body makes more white
cells than it needs.
 These leukemia cells can’t fight infection the way normal white blood cells
do. And because there are so many of them, they start to affect the way
your organs work. Over time, you may not have enough red blood cells to
supply oxygen, enough platelets to clot your blood, or enough normal white
blood cells to fight infection.

4. Leukemia classifications :
Leukemia is grouped by how fast it
develops and gets worse, and by which
type of blood cell is involved.
The first group, how fast it develops, is
divided into acute and chronic leukemia.
• Acute leukemia happens when most of
the abnormal blood cells don’t mature
and can’t carry out normal functions. It
can get bad very fast.
• Chronic leukemia happens when there
are some immature cells, but others are
normal and can work the way they
should. It gets bad more slowly than
acute forms do.
The second group, what type of cell is
involved, is divided into lymphocytic and
myelogenous leukemia.
• Lymphocytic (or lymphoblastic)
leukemia involves bone marrow cells
that become lymphocytes, a kind of
white blood cell.
• Myelogenous (or myeloid) leukemia
involves the marrow cells that create
red blood cells, platelets, and other
kinds of white blood cells.

5. Types of leukemia
The four main types of leukemia are:
• Acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) :- This is the most common form of childhood
leukemia. It can spread to your lymph nodes and central nervous system.
• Acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) :- This is the second most common form of
childhood leukemia and one of the most common forms for adults.
• Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) :- This is the other most common form of adult
leukemia. Some kinds of CLL will be stable for years and won’t need treatment. But
with others, your body isn’t able to create normal blood cells, and you’ll need
treatment.
• Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) :- With this form, you might not have
noticeable symptoms. You might not be diagnosed with it until you have a routine
blood test. People 65 and older have a higher risk of this type.

6. Leukemia Symptoms
• Different types of leukemia can cause different problems. You
might not notice any signs in the early stages of some forms.
When you do have symptoms, they may include:
 Weakness or fatigue
 Bruising or bleeding easily
 Fever or chills
 Infections that are severe or keep coming back
 Pain in your bones or joints
 Headaches
 Vomiting
 Seizures
 Weight loss
 Night sweats
 Shortness of breath
 Swollen lymph nodes or organs like your spleen

7. Leukemia Causes and Risk Factors
No one knows exactly what causes leukemia. People who have it have certain unusual
chromosomes, but the chromosomes don’t cause leukemia.
You can’t prevent leukemia, but certain things may trigger it.You might have a higher
risk if you:
• Smoke
• Are exposed to a lot of radiation or certain chemicals
• Had radiation therapy or chemotherapy to treat cancer
• Have a family history of leukemia
• Have a genetic disorder like Down syndrome

8. Leukemia Diagnosis
• Blood tests :- A complete blood count (CBC) looks at the number and
maturity of different types of blood cells. A blood smear looks for unusual or
immature cells.
• Bone marrow biopsy :-This test involves marrow taken from your pelvic
bone with a long needle. It can tell your doctor what kind of leukemia you
have and how severe it is.
• Spinal tap :-This involves fluid from your spinal cord. It can tell your doctor
whether the leukemia has spread.
• Imaging tests :-Things like CT, MRI, and PET scans can spot signs of
leukemia.

9. Leukemia Treatments
The treatment you get depends on the type of leukemia you have, how far it’s
spread, and how healthy you are.The main options are:
• Chemotherapy
• Radiation
• Biologic therapy
• Targeted therapy
• Stem cell transplant
• Surgery