Acute lymphoblastic leukemia

If the process of hematopoiesis is disturbed in the bone marrow, an excessive number of cells not yet ripe are called, called lymphoblasts. If they subsequently had to become lymphocytes, but mutated, acute lymphoblastic leukemia develops. The disease is characterized by the gradual replacement of normal blood cells with clones, and they can accumulate not only in the bone marrow and its tissues, but also in other organs.

Diagnosis of acute lymphoblastic leukemia

The considered pathology of production of blood corpuscles corresponds to disruption of the work of the whole organism. Uncontrolled division of immature cells (lymphoblasts) provokes their penetration into the lymph nodes, spleen, liver, damage to the central nervous system. Moreover, the specificity of the disease includes changes in the work of the red bone marrow. He ceases to produce a sufficient number of red blood cells, platelets and leukocytes, replacing them with precursor clones with a gene mutation.

Depending on the type of cancer-affected cells, acute T-lymphoblastic (T-cell) leukemia and B-linear are distinguished. The latter species occurs much more often, in about 85% of cases.

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia - causes

The factor that provokes the development of the described disease is irreversible changes in chromosomes. The exact causes of this process have not yet been established, the risk of leukemia of this type occurs in the following cases:

• frequent infections in infancy;
• oncological diseases in close relatives;
• exposure to radiation, radiation;
• congenital or acquired immune system defects;
• the entry into the body of toxins of various kinds, including - medicines;
• mutations of genes before birth;
• viral diseases;
• age over 70 years.

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia - symptoms

One of the features of the presented pathology is the non-specificity of the symptoms. They are often similar to the characteristic manifestations of other diseases, therefore it is possible to diagnose leukemia only after a series of laboratory tests.

Possible Symptoms:

• frequent infectious diseases, tonsillitis;
• pain in the joints, sometimes - bones;
• tachycardia ;
• absence or loss of appetite, weight loss;
• anemia;
• enlarged lymph nodes (axillary, cervical and inguinal);
• bleeding in the oral cavity (from the gums), intestines, from the nose;
• the appearance of bruises and bruises on the skin, red spots;
• increased body temperature;
• disturbances in the work of the genitourinary system;
• increase in the volume of the liver, spleen;
• damage to eyes;
• decreased kidney function.

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia - treatment

The complex scheme consists of three stages:

1. The first is intensive chemotherapy with cytostatics, glucocorticosteroid hormones and anthracyclines. This allows achieving remission of the disease - reducing the content of lymphoblasts in the bone marrow tissue to 5%. The duration of remission induction is about 6-8 weeks after the diagnosis is established.
2. At the second stage of treatment, chemotherapy continues, but in smaller doses, to consolidate the results and destroy the remaining mutated cells. This allows you to stop acute lymphoblastic leukemia and prevent a relapse of the disease in the future. The total amount of time that consolidation takes is from 3 to 8 months, the exact time is determined by the attending physician in accordance with the degree of leukemia.
3. The third stage is called supportive. In this period, usually prescribed methotrexate and 6-mercaptopurine. Despite the high duration of the last stage of therapy (2-3 years), it is tolerated well, since it does not require hospitalization - the tablets are taken by the patient independently.