10 Leukemia Symptoms
Leukemia is a group of cancers of the blood cells. It begins in the bone marrow where the blood cells are produced. In your body, the white blood cells function to fight against infections, red blood cells transport oxygen throughout the whole body, and platelets contain clotting factors to assist in blood coagulation in case of injury. In leukemia, there is an abnormally high amount of abnormal white blood cells that grow faster and do not stop growing. With time, these abnormal cells (also known as leukemia cells or blasts) crowd out the normal blood cells causing issues such as anemia, infections, and bleeding.
The leukemia cells may also spread to other organs and lymph nodes causing swelling and pain. The diagnosis is usually made through a blood test or bone marrow biopsy. While the exact mechanism of how leukemia occurs is unknown, experts believe that it is due to a combination of factors such as genetics and environmental factors. There are four types of leukemia: acute myeloid leukemia (AML), acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).
