Top 15 Symptoms of Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia

The Main Symptoms of Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia  that we should not ignore. In addition, Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL) is the most common childhood cancer , although it can also occur in adults. Acute  Lymphocytic Leukemia  is a cancer of the blood and bone marrow that occurs when abnormal cells in one part of your body start to grow out of control. Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia  is caused by an increase in white blood cells called lymphocytes. Because it is an acute or aggressive form of cancer , it moves quickly. Most types of Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia  can be treated with a good chance of remission in children.

However, adults with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia  do not have as high a remission rate as children. About 6,050 new cases of Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia , 3,450 men and 2,600 women, were diagnosed in Brazil in 2012. Another 1,440 deaths, 820 in men and 620 in women, from Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia  were also reported.

Although most cases were in children, four deaths out of five were in adults. Children under 5 years of age were at increased risk of developing Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia . However, children are often better than adults at tolerating aggressive treatment.

Causes of Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia:  The causes of  Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia is a genetic change (mutation) in stem cells that causes release of immature white blood cells into the bloodstream. It is unclear what causes the DNA mutation to occur, but known risk factors include:

• Previous chemotherapy – if you have had chemotherapy to treat unrelated cancers in the past, your risk of developing acute lymphoblastic leukemia is increased. Risk refers to certain types of chemotherapy drugs (etoposide, mitoxantrone, amsacrine and idarubicin) and how much treatment you have had
• Smoking – Smokers are much more likely to develop acute leukemia than non-smokers, and studies have shown that parents who smoke at home may increase the risk of leukemia in their children
• Being overweight (Obesity) – some studies have shown that people who are overweight have a slightly higher risk of developing leukemia than those with normal weight
• Genetic disorders – a small number of cases of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia are thought to be related to genetic disorders, including Down syndrome
• Have a weakened immune system – people with reduced immunity (as a result of having HIV or AIDS or taking immunosuppressants) are at an increased risk of developing leukemia

Symptoms of Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia:  Having Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia  increases your chances of bleeding and developing infections. Symptoms of Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia  can include:

• pallor or pallor
• bleeding gums
• Fever
• Bruising, purpura, or bleeding within the skin
• Petechiae, which are red or purple spots on the body
• Lymphadenopathy, which is characterized by enlarged lymph nodes in the neck, under the arms, or in the groin area
• Hepatomegaly or enlarged liver
• Splenomegaly or spleen enlargement
• bone pain
• joint pain
• Weakness
• Fatigue
• Shortness of breathe
• testicular enlargement
• cranial nerve palsies

Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia Treatments:  The treatment of  Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia is aimed at reducing the number of blood to normal. If this happens and your bone marrow looks normal under a microscope, your cancer  is in remission. Chemotherapy is used to treat this type of leukemia. For the first treatment, you may have to be hospitalized for a few weeks. Later, you can continue treatment as an outpatient.

In case you have a low white blood cell count, you will likely have to spend time in an isolation room to ensure protection from contagious diseases and other problems. A bone marrow or stem cell transplant may be recommended if your leukemia does not respond to chemotherapy. The transplanted marrow can be taken from a sibling who is a complete match.

Prevention of Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia:  There is no confirmed cause of Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia . However, you should avoid risk factors for this, which include:

• radiation exposure
• chemical exposure
• Exposure to viral infections
• smoke cigarettes
• Prolonged exposure to diesel, gasoline, pesticides and electromagnetic fields