Leukemia is a type of cancer affecting blood or bone marrow, characterized by the abnormal production of blood cells, especially leukocytes. There are several types, including acute and chronic varieties, which can be further classified as lymphocytic or myelogenous, each with distinct characteristics and symptoms. Diagnosis typically involves blood tests and bone marrow evaluations, with symptoms varying widely depending on the type of leukemia.

1. Jegan
PREPARED BY: JEGAN. S. NADAR

2. LEUKEMIA
Leukemia is cancer of the blood or bone marrow (which produces blood cells).
A person who has leukemia suffers from an abnormal production of blood cells,
generally leukocytes (white blood cells).
Jegan

3. • The DNA of immature blood cells, mainly white cells, becomes damaged
• This abnormality causes the blood cells to grow and divide rapidly
• Normal blood cells die after a while and are replaced by new cells
• The abnormal blood cells do not die so easily, and accumulate occupying more space.
• As more and more space is occupied by these faulty blood cells there is less and less
space for the normal cells - and the sufferer becomes ill
Jegan

4. TYPES OF LEUKEMIA
Chronic and Acute
 Acute, which is a rapidly progressing disease that results in the accumulation of immature, useless
cells in the marrow and blood, or
 Chronic, which progresses more slowly and allows more mature, useful cells to be made
Lymphocytic and Myelogenous
 If the cancerous transformation occurs in the lymphoid stem cell that makes lymphocytes, the
disease is called lymphocytic leukemia.
 If the cancerous change occurs in myeloid stem cells that produce red blood cells, other types of
white cells, and platelets, the disease is called myelogenous leukemia.
Jegan

5. TYPES OF LEUKEMIA
 Acute lymphoblastic (lymphocytic) leukemia (ALL)
 Acute myeloid (myelogenous) leukemia (AML)
 Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)
 Chronic myeloid (myelogenous) leukemia (CML)
Jegan

6. ACUTE LYMPHOBLASTIC (LYMPHOCYTIC) LEUKEMIA (ALL)
 In these diseases, the original acute leukemia cell goes on to form about a trillion
more lymphocytic leukemia cells.
 These cells are nonfunctional because they do not work like normal cells.
 They also crowd out the normal cells in the marrow.
 This causes a decrease in the number of new normal cells made in the marrow.
 This further results in low white cell counts (infection risk).
Jegan

7. CHRONIC LYMPHOCYTIC LEUKEMIA (CLL)
 The leukemia cell that starts this disease makes too many lymphocytes that do not
function.
 These cells replace normal cells in the marrow and lymph nodes.
 They interfere with the work of normal lymphocytes, which weakens the patient’s
immune response.
 The high number of leukemia cells in the marrow may crowd out normal blood-forming
cells and lead to a low red cell count (anemia).
 A very high number of leukemia cells building up in the marrow also can lead to low
white cell (neutrophil) and platelet counts.
Jegan

8. ACUTE MYELOID (MYELOGENOUS) LEUKEMIA
(AML)
 This disease is similar to ALL
 The original acute leukemia cell goes on to form about a trillion more MYELOID leukemia
cells.
 These cells are nonfunctional because they do not work like normal cells.
 They also crowd out the normal cells in the marrow.
 This causes a decrease in the number of new normal cells made in the marrow.
 This further results in low red cell counts (anemia), low platelet counts (bleeding
risk) and low neutrophil counts (infection risk).
Jegan

9. CHRONIC MYELOID LEUKEMIA
(CML)
 The leukemia cell that starts this disease makes blood cells (red cells, white cells and
platelets) that function almost like normal cells.
 The number of red cells is usually less than normal, resulting in anemia. But many white
cells and sometimes many platelets are still made.
 Even though the white cells are nearly normal in how they work, their counts are high
and continue to rise.
 This can cause serious problems if the patient does not get treatment.
 If untreated, the white cell count can rise so high that blood flow slows down and
anemia becomes severe.
Jegan

10. SYMPTOMS
Signs and symptoms vary based on the type of leukemia. For acute leukemia, they include:
 Tiredness or no energy
 Shortness of breath during physical activity
 Pale skin
 Mild fever or night sweats
 Slow healing of cuts and excess bleeding
 Pinhead-size red spots under the skin
 Aches in bones or joints (for example, knees, hips or shoulders)
People with CLL or CML may not have any symptoms. Some patients learn they have CLL or CML after
a blood test as part of a regular checkup
Jegan

11. DIAGNOSIS
 Complete blood test
 Bone marrow test
Jegan