Leukemia is a cancer of the bone marrow that results in an overproduction of abnormal white blood cells. Symptoms include anemia, bleeding, bruising, infections, bone and joint pain, abdominal issues, swollen lymph nodes, and difficulty breathing. Treatment involves chemotherapy, radiation therapy, bone marrow transplants, and medications to manage symptoms and side effects. Leukemia cannot be prevented as there are no known risk factors, but exposure to infections can be avoided and the immune system boosted to reduce risks.

1. Leukemia in
children

2. How the disease is
Introduced to the Body
• Leukemia is introduced to the body when the bone
marrow makes abnormal white blood cells. The
abnormal cells are
leukemia cells.
• When you are healthy,
your bone marrow
makes:

3. – white blood cells: which help your body fight infection.
– Red blood cells: which carry oxygen to all parts of your
body.
– Platelets: which help your blood clot.
Symptoms of
Leukemia
• anemia
When red blood cells are unable to be produced because of the

4. crowding in the marrow, anemia is present. The child may appear tired,
pale, and may breathe faster to make up for for the decrease in oxygen
• bleeding and/or bruising
When platelets are unable to be produced because of the crowding in
the marrow, bleeding can occur and the child may begin to bruise more
easily.
• recurrent infections
Although there may be an unusually high number of white blood
cells on a blood count of a child with leukemia, these white blood cells are
immature and do not fight infection. The child with leukemia often shows
symptoms of an infection such as fever, runny nose, and cough.

5. Symptoms of Leukemia
Continued…
• bone and joint pain
Pain in bones and joints is another common symptom of leukemia.
This pain is usually a result of the bone marrow being overcrowded.
• abdominal distress
Leukemia cells can collect in the kidney, liver, and spleen, causing
enlargement of these organs. Pain in the abdomen may cause a child to
have loss of appetite and weight loss.
• swollen lymph nodes

6. Lymph nodes are responsible for filtering the blood. Leukemia cells
may collect in the nodes, causing swelling.
• difficulty breathing
This mass of cells present in the middle of the chest can cause pain and difficulty
breathing. Wheezing, coughing, and/or painfulbreathing requires immediate
medical attention.
Systems of the Body
Affected
• Lymphatic system, nervous system, endocrine
system, circulatory system

7. • invade other parts of the body, such as the
lymph nodes, spleen, liver, brain, and spinal
cord.

8. How Leukemia is
Treated
• chemotherapy : taking one or more of a type of drug that
interferes with the DNA (genes) of fast-growing cells
• intrathecal medications/chemotherapy :
medications are inserted through a needle

9. into the spinal cord into the area called the subarachnoid
space
• radiation therapy: is treatment with high-energy rays that
destroy cancer cells.
• bone marrow transplantation: patients are given a bone
marrow transplant so that their body can be given higher
doses of chemotherapy drugs that would not be tolerated
otherwise.
• targeted therapy

10. Treatment
Continued…
• Medications: to prevent or treat damage to other
systems of the body caused by leukemia treatment
• Medications: for nausea and side
effects of treatment
• blood transfusions: (red blood
cells, platelets)

11. • Antibiotics: (to prevent/treat infections)
• continuous follow-up care :(to determine response to
treatment, detect recurrent disease, and manage late
effects of treatment)
Prevention
• Most cancers can be prevented by changes in
lifestyle or diet, which will reduce the risk
factors. Unfortunately, in leukemia, there are

12. no known risk factors. With no known risk
factors, it is hard to prevent them
PreCautions
• Avoid Exposure

13. – If you have leukemia, the best way to be safe from meningitis is to avoid
contact with the viruses and bacteria that cause it.
• Boost Your Immune System
– For example, depending on your heath status, you may be able to receive
vaccinations that can help protect you against certain types of meningitis
• Wash Your Hands
– Cleanliness is critical when you're trying to avoid diseases like meningitis.
Wash your hands frequently, after using the bathroom and before preparing or eating
meals.

14. Contagious?
• No, leukemia is not contagious. You cannot
get it from someone else.

17. Extra
Information
• Leukemia means "white blood" in Greek.
• Leukemia is the most common form of cancer in childhood.
– It affects approximately 3,500 children each year in the US, accounting
for about 30 percent of childhood cancers.

18. • Estimated new cases and deaths from
leukemia in the United States in 2010:
– New cases: 43,050
– Deaths: 21,840
Works
Cited
• http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/types/leukemia

19. • http://www.webmd.com/cancer/tc
/leukemia-topic-overview
• http://www.medicinenet.com/leukemia/article.htm
• https://my.inova.com/public/healthresearch/conten
t_display_full.cfm?doc_id=P02324
• http://www.mamashealth.com/leukemia.asp
• http://www.revolutionhealth.com/forums/cancer/12
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