Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most common type of childhood leukemia - around 75 percent. the youngest diagnosed have this form of the disease. At the same time, acute lymphoblastic leukemia is the most common childhood cancer - it is diagnosed in about 23% of people. children with cancer. Find out what the causes and symptoms of acute lymphoblastic leukemia are, and how it is treated.

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia(ALL -acute lymphoblastic leukemia ) is a cancer of the bone marrow - the tissue that fills the bones, which is responsible for the production of blood cells : erythrocytes (red blood cells), leukocytes (white blood cells responsible for immunity) and platelets (involved in the clotting process). In the course of acute lymphoblastic leukemia, white blood cells (specifically leukocytes from the lymphocytic lineage, in he althy people inhabiting the marrow and lymph nodes) are malignant, which multiply in an uncontrolled way and displace he althy cells.

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia is not only the most common type of leukemia in young children, but also the most common type of childhood cancer. The incidence of the disease is 30-40 per 1 million children per year. He attacks most often between the ages of 2 and 4.

Causes of acute lymphoblastic leukemia

The cause of acute lymphoblastic leukemia is dysfunction of various genes. Therefore, an increased predisposition to develop acute lymphoblastic leukemia is found in children with various chromosomal syndromes (e.g., 21st chromosome trisomy, or Down's syndrome). People with syndromes such as ataxia-telangiectasia or Fanconi aplastic anemia are also at greater risk of developing this form of leukemia than he althy people. It should be emphasized that in most cases the disease is not hereditary and there is a small chance that it will repeat itself in siblings.

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia - symptoms

Symptoms of acute lymphoblastic leukemiaare not very specific and appear on average 2 to 6 weeks before proper diagnosis is made.

The most common symptom of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (found in approximately 99.5% of patients) is pallor. They appear frequentlyalso fever (on average 85.5% of cases) as well as fatigue and general weakness. In addition, there may be:

  • anorexic
  • mouth ulcers and other symptoms of mouth, ear, nose and throat infections that do not go away with treatment
  • bleeding and ecchymosis on the skin and mucous membranes
  • bone and joint pain (rarely)

Moreover, in some patients (about 30% of cases) enlarged lymph nodes and enlarged liver and spleen can be felt.

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Acute leukemia - types

  • acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL -acute lymphoblastic leukemia ), more common in children
  • acute myeloid leukemia (non-lymphoblastic - AML, i.e.acute myeloid leukemia ), which is dominant in adults
  • undifferentiated leukemia (AUL -undifferentiated leukemia )
  • acute mixed leukemia ( acute mixed-lineage leukemia )
  • myelosarcoma (SM -sarcoma myelocytica)

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia - diagnosis

A complete blood count is taken and shows anemia, thrombocytopenia, and granulocytopenia (when the number of granulocytes - a type of white blood cell - is below normal). Genetic changes are the basis of neoplastic cell transformation, therefore genetic testing is of great importance in patients with acute leukemia. Final diagnosis is made on the basis of a bone marrow smear.

The physician should check that the above symptoms do not indicate viral diseases (infectious mononucleosis and cytomegaly). It is worth knowing that fever and periarticular pain, as well as abnormal test results (accelerated erythrocyte sedimentation rate) may cause the misdiagnosis of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis or rheumatic fever.

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia - treatment

Chemotherapy is used to treat acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The dose is selected depending, among others, on from age and illnesses. Unfortunately, drugs destroy not only cancerous white blood cells, but also he althy ones, therefore the patient's immunity is significantly reduced or absent. Therefore, during treatment, special care should be taken of hygiene, because even the smallest infection can pose a serious threat to the he alth and life of the patient.

Bone marrow transplantation is possible in some patients. It is the most effective treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia, but it carries some risks, so it should only be used by patients who canget the greatest benefit from this treatment method. Even if a patient qualifies for a transplant, they must first undergo chemotherapy to eliminate the disease. Thus, bone marrow transplantation complements chemotherapy.

CHECK>>How to become a bone marrow donor

Bibliography:

Pediatric oncology and hematology,edited by Chybicka A., Sawicz-Birkowska K., Wydawnictwo Lekarskie PZWL, Warsaw 2008.

Category:

Oncology