| As we all know, leukemia is the form of cancer that | | | | We all know that the bone marrow is the one |
| affects the bone marrow of people. The bone | | | | responsible of producing the red, white and platelets |
| marrow is the spongy substance that we all have on | | | | cells. But few of us know that in fact the bone |
| the insides of our bones, this being responsible for | | | | marrow produces stem cells that later one, |
| the production of the white and red cells and of | | | | depending on the message received from the brain, |
| course the platelets. When leukemia appears in | | | | develop into the normal cells that we have in our |
| people the white blood cells start dividing in an | | | | blood. Also we see a minor division in the type of |
| abnormal way and out of control. Their numbers get | | | | white blood cells. This way we see that there are |
| very high and thus start crowding the other normal | | | | granulocytes, monocytes, B-lymphocytes and T- |
| cells in the blood. Being the fact that they are not | | | | lymphocytes. The granulocytes white cells fight |
| yet mature, the white cells that are so many now in | | | | bacteria by actually surrounding them and eating |
| the blood stream, can not perform the proper | | | | them; the case is monocytes is that they fight |
| functions that the other normal healthy cells would | | | | germs, but it's not the case as in granulocytes. The |
| have. Problems start poring down now on the patient. | | | | B-lymphocytes attach antibodies on germs and by |
| Organs stop receiving the right amount of nutrients | | | | this they trigger a mass response from other WBC |
| and oxygen, the body becomes in danger of | | | | that also attach antibodies to the germs, this way |
| suffering because of the attacks of the diseases and | | | | distroying them. The T-lymphocytes act more like a |
| viruses and of course blood doesn't clot as it should | | | | little look out cells telling the WBC when they have |
| have done when a cut occurs and the blood enters | | | | found an intruder or a germ and directing them to |
| into contact with the air. | | | | fight it. |
| In children, the most common type of leukemia | | | | Because the large number of white blood cells crowd |
| found is acute lymphocytic leukemia. Less common in | | | | out the other cells, the normal functions of the body |
| the cases of children is the appearance of acute | | | | stop working normally leading to certain signs like |
| myeloid leukemia. Some 5 % of childhood leukemia | | | | anemia and of course fatigue. The bruising also |
| form a distinct chronic type of the disorder. If the | | | | appears more easily in children patients of leukemia, |
| children under 2 develop the disease than it is clear | | | | not to mention the fact that if a cut occurs a lot of |
| that they have juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia. In | | | | bleeding is done till the blood actually clots. Infection is |
| general children suffer only from acute types of | | | | a serious problem for patients with any kind of |
| leukemia, the chronic ones affecting grown ups | | | | leukemia. |
| mostly after the age of 40. | | | | |