Treatment of cancer cells in the blood. Signs, symptoms, stages and treatment of blood cancer

By themselves, oncological blood diseases manifest themselves in different ways and have a fairly large number of symptoms, which can also indicate common diseases. That is why it is necessary to know together how blood cancer affects the human body in order to diagnose it in time and cure it later. Today we will learn how to identify blood cancer and much, much more.

What is blood cancer?

Usually this is a combination of various pathologies, due to which the hematopoietic system is completely suppressed, and as a result, healthy bone marrow cells are replaced by diseased ones. In this case, almost all cells can be replaced. Cancers in the blood usually divide and multiply rapidly, thereby replacing healthy cells.

There is both chronic blood cancer and acute leukemia, usually a malignant neoplasm in the blood has different varieties according to the type of damage to certain groups of cells in the blood. It also depends on the aggressiveness of the cancer itself and the speed of its spread.

chronic leukemia

Usually, the disease mutates the leukocytes; when mutated, they become granular. The disease itself proceeds rather slowly. Later, as a result of the replacement of diseased leukocytes with healthy ones, the function of hematopoiesis is impaired.

Subspecies

Megakaryocytic leukemia. The stem cell is modified, multiple pathologies appear in the bone marrow. Subsequently, diseased cells appear, which divide very quickly and fill the blood only with them. The number of platelets increases.
Chronic myeloid leukemia. The most interesting thing is that it is men who suffer more from this disease. The process begins after the mutation of bone marrow cells.
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia. This disease is asymptomatic at first. Leukocytes accumulate in the tissues of organs, and there are a lot of them.
Chronic monocytic leukemia. This form does not increase the number of leukocytes, but it does increase the number of monocytes.

Acute leukemia

In general, there is already an increase in the number of blood cells, while they grow very quickly and divide rapidly. This type of cancer develops faster, which is why acute leukemia is considered a more severe form for the patient.

Subspecies

Lymphoblastic leukemia. This oncological disease is more common in children from 1 to 6 years. In this case, lymphocytes are replaced by patients. It is accompanied by severe intoxication and a drop in immunity.
Erythromyeloblastic leukemia. In the bone marrow, an increased growth rate of erythroblasts and normoblasts begins. The number of red cells increases.
myeloid leukemia. Usually there is a breakdown at the level of DNA of blood cells. As a result, diseased cells completely crowd out healthy ones. At the same time, a deficiency of any of the main ones begins: leukocytes, platelets, erythrocytes.
Megakaryoblastic leukemia. A rapid increase in the bone marrow of megakaryoblasts and undifferentiated blasts. In particular, it affects children with Down syndrome.
monoblastic leukemia. During this disease, the temperature constantly rises and general intoxication of the body occurs in a patient with blood cancer.

Causes of blood cancer

As you probably know, blood is made up of several basic cells that perform their function. Red blood cells deliver oxygen to the tissues of the whole body, platelets allow clogging wounds and crevices, and white blood cells protect our body from antibodies and foreign organisms.

Cells are born in the bone marrow, and in the early stages are more susceptible to external factors. Any cell can turn into a cancer cell, which will subsequently divide and multiply endlessly. At the same time, these cells have a different structure and do not perform their function 100%.

The exact factors by which cell mutation can occur are not yet known to scientists, but there are some suspicions:

Radiation and background radiation in cities.
Ecology
Chemical substances.
Incorrect course of drugs and drugs.
Bad nutrition.
Severe illnesses such as HIV.
Obesity.
Smoking and alcohol.

Why is cancer dangerous? Cancer cells initially begin to mutate in the bone marrow, they endlessly divide there and take nutrients from healthy cells, plus they release a large amount of waste products.

When there are too many of them, these cells already begin to spread through the blood to all tissues of the body. Blood cancer usually comes from two diagnoses: leukemia and lymphosarcoma. But the correct scientific name is still precisely “hemoblastosis”, that is, the tumor arose as a result of a mutation of hematopoietic cells.

Hemoblastoses that appear in the bone marrow are called leukemia. Previously, it was also called leukemia or leukemia - this is when a large number of immature leukocytes appear in the blood.

If the tumor originated outside the bone marrow, then it is called hematosarcoma. There is also a more rare disease of lymphocytoma - this is when the tumor affects mature lymphocytes. Blood cancer or hemablastosis has a poor course due to the fact that cancer cells can affect any organ, and in any form, the lesion will necessarily fall on the bone marrow.

Once metastases begin and the cancer cells spread to different types of tissue, they subsequently behave differently and the treatment itself becomes worse because of this. The fact is that each such cell perceives treatment in its own way and may respond differently to chemotherapy.

What is the difference between malignant blood cancer and benign? In fact, benign tumors do not spread to other organs and the disease itself proceeds without symptoms. Malignant cells grow very quickly and metastasize even faster.

Symptoms of blood cancer

Consider the very first signs of blood cancer:

Headaches, dizziness
Bone pain and joint pain
Aversion to food and smells
The temperature rises without certain signs and diseases.
General weakness and fatigue.
Frequent infectious diseases.

The first symptoms of blood cancer can also indicate other diseases, which is why the patient rarely sees a doctor at this stage and loses a lot of time. Later, other symptoms may appear that relatives and friends pay attention to:

Pallor
Yellowness of the skin.
Drowsiness
Irritability
Bleeding that does not stop for a long time.

In some cases, the lymph nodes of the liver and spleen may greatly increase, causing the abdomen to swell in size, there is a strong feeling of bloating. At later stages, a rash appears on the skin, and the mucous membranes in the mouth begin to bleed.

If the lymph nodes are affected, you will see their hard seal, but without painful symptoms. In this case, you should immediately consult a doctor and do an ultrasound of the desired areas.

NOTE! Enlargement of the spleen of the liver may also be due to other infectious diseases, so an additional examination is necessary.

Diagnosis of blood cancer

How to recognize blood cancer in the early stages? Usually this disease is determined already at the first. Later, a puncture of the brain is done - a rather painful operation - using a thick needle, they pierce the pelvic bone and take a sample of the bone marrow.

Later, these analyzes are sent to the laboratory, where they look at the cells under a microscope and then say the result. In addition, you can do an analysis for tumor markers. In general, doctors conduct as many examinations as possible, even after the detection of the tumor itself.

But why? - the fact is that leukemia has a lot of varieties and each disease has its own character and is more sensitive to certain types of treatment - that is why you need to know what exactly the patient is ill with in order to understand the doctor how to properly treat blood cancer.

Stages of blood cancer

Usually, the division into stages allows the doctor to determine the size of the tumor, the degree of its involvement, as well as the presence of metastasis and the impact on distant tissues and organs.

1 stage

First, as a result of a failure of the immune system itself, mutant cells appear in the body, which have a different look and structure and are constantly dividing. In this phase, the cancer is treated quite easily and quickly.

2 stage

The cells themselves begin to flock and form tumor clots. This makes the treatment even more effective. Metastasis has not started yet.

3 stage

There are so many cancer cells that they first affect the lymphatic tissues, and then spread through the blood to all organs. Metastases are distributed throughout the body.

4 stage

Metastases began to deeply affect other organs. The effectiveness of chemotherapy is significantly reduced due to the fact that other tumors begin to react differently to the same chemical reagent. Pathology in women can spread to the genitals, uterus and mammary glands.

How is blood cancer treated?

Chemotherapy is usually used to treat this disease. With the help of a needle, chemicals are injected into the blood, which are aimed directly at the cancer cells. It is clear that other cells also suffer, resulting in: hair loss, heartburn, nausea, vomiting, loose stools, decreased immunity and anemia.

The problem with this therapy is that, of course, the reagents themselves are aimed at destroying only cancer cells, but they are very similar to our own. And later they can mutate and change their properties, due to which any reagent simply ceases to work. As a result, more toxic substances are used that already adversely affect the body itself.

Malignant blood disease is a very nasty disease, and compared to other tumors, it is very fast, so if it is not diagnosed and treated in time, the patient dies within 5 months.

There is another rather dangerous method of treatment when bone marrow transplantation is in progress. At the same time, with the help of chemotherapy, the bone marrow of the patient is completely destroyed in order to completely destroy the cancer cells.

NOTE! Dear readers, remember that no healers and healers can help you cure this ailment, and since it develops very quickly, you definitely need to see a doctor on time. At the same time, you can use: vitamins, decoctions of herbs of chamomile, yarrow, sea buckthorn oil - they have anti-inflammatory properties and will help stop the blood if something happens. Do not use folk remedies such as: tinctures of fly agaric, hemlock, celandine and other remedies with sending substances. You must understand that in this case the patient's body has a very weakened effect, and this can simply finish him off.

Can we cure blood cancer or not?

Can blood cancer be cured? It all depends on the degree and stage of cancer, as well as on the type itself. In acute leukemia, the disease is usually very aggressive and fast - doctors need more chemotherapy courses, so in this case the prognosis is more sad. For Chronic leukemia, things are much rosier, as the disease spreads and develops less quickly.

blood cancer in children

In fact, this disease is quite common in young patients from 1 to 5 years. This is mainly due to the radiation that mothers receive during pregnancy, as well as with a genetic disorder inside the child.

In this case, the disease proceeds in the same way as in adults, with all the accompanying symptoms. The difference is that children are much more susceptible to recovery - this is due to the fact that the regeneration of cells and tissues in babies is at a much higher level than in adults.

The term "blood cancer" is not medically correct. Specialists use another name - leukemia. The concept includes not one, but several oncological diseases of the hematopoietic tissue. With all types of leukemia, a degeneration of hematopoietic cells occurs in the body. Most often, the process is localized in the cells of the bone marrow.

Can blood cancer be cured? Yes, you can, although leukemia is a serious and dangerous disease. Successful therapy directly depends on the stage of detection of the disease and the nature of its course. However, there are effective methods of dealing with this pathology. We will talk about the methods of treatment below.

Treatment Methods

Let's start with the fact that the diagnosis of leukemia is not at all a sentence, as it was only a few decades ago. Modern medicine has developed (and is working in this direction further) several effective therapy regimens that allow you to cure the disease completely or stop its course for a long time.

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Blood cancer is now being treated not only abroad in clinics in Germany and Israel, but also in Russia (in Moscow, Novosibirsk, St. Petersburg and other large cities).

Chemotherapy

This technique involves treatment with combinations of various anticancer drugs.

The goal of chemotherapy is to suppress the growth and reproduction of cancer cells by inhibiting their basic functions.

Cancer cells have a higher level of vital activity compared to normal cells of the body. Malignant tissues have a higher degree of mitotic activity - the ability to divide.

Drugs are aimed at suppressing cell reproduction and their destruction. Courses, if possible, are selected in such a way as to destroy only cancer cells, affecting healthy tissues and organs in a minimal amount. But since the drugs are taken intravenously (less often periorally), it is not possible to completely eliminate the side effect on the body.

There are 2 phases of chemotherapy:

the first phase of medical treatment of leukemia - induction therapy. At this stage, the patient receives the highest dose of drugs. Induction treatment lasts from 2 months to six months. As a rule, after this comes a remission. Cancer cells reduce their activity, and their number is significantly reduced. But if the treatment is not continued, sooner or later the malignant cells begin to exert a pathogenic influence again;
the second phase of chemotherapy is called supporting and it can last 2-3 years. The goal of maintenance chemotherapy is to suppress the activity of the remaining cancer cells. Other types of drugs are used: this is necessary to overcome the possible resistance of cancer cells to the effects.

The first stage of treatment is carried out in a hospital, since there is a high risk of infection or bleeding. And because chemotherapy drugs suppress the production of white blood cells, patients may need private blood transfusions.

Chemotherapy adversely affects:

hair follicle cells, causing hair loss (alopecia);
stomach and intestines (nausea, vomiting, digestive disorders occur);
blood cells (anemia may develop);
reproductive functions of the body;
the immune system of the body, which causes the susceptibility of a patient undergoing a chemotherapy course to various infections;
skin (allergic reactions may occur).

Medicine is constantly struggling to develop the latest drugs that could not affect the entire body, killing only tumors, but, unfortunately, the ideal drug has not yet been created. This issue has been partially resolved with the help of targeted therapy (the use of monoclonal antibodies that act exclusively on cancer cell receptors), but such drugs are not applicable in all cases.

The situation is complicated by the fact that cancer cells are very similar to normal cells of the body, moreover, they are able to change their structure, adapting to new conditions.

However, without the use of chemotherapy, the chances of survival in patients are minimal. Without treatment, acute leukemia can kill a person in a few months.

Bone marrow transplantation

Leukemia is often due to a genetic predisposition to the disease. Oncological blood lesions are often diagnosed in children and adolescents. The use of chemotherapy at this age can significantly undermine the further health of patients. The question arises - is it possible to cure blood cancer in a child without a long-term course of chemotherapy? Yes, there is such an opportunity - this is a method of bone marrow transplantation.

This is one of the most complex and expensive operations in medicine. In the literal sense, the bone marrow is not transplanted - we are talking about parenteral (using a dropper) gradual introduction of a concentrate from donor bone marrow cells into the recipient's body. Previously, the patient undergoes destruction of all bone marrow cells (in order to exclude the resumption of the population of malignant clones).

The procedure is risky: the risk of infection is extremely high. After the operation, patients are placed in the intensive care unit and stay there until their condition stabilizes.

Bone marrow transplantation is done according to strict medical indications and can only be performed in a specialized medical institution. After the procedure, immunotherapy can be carried out to speed up the regenerative processes.

There are two types of bone marrow transplant:

autoimmune transplantation: the patient is transplanted with stem (undifferentiated cells) of his own body;
allogeneic - transplantation of material from close relatives or a donor who does not have family ties with the patient.

The latest technologies allow bone marrow transplantation not only for young, but also for older patients. The prognosis for survival after this operation for five years is 90%. All patients who have undergone this procedure undergo a mandatory course of rehabilitation therapy in specialized clinics.

Treatment of blood cancer folk remedies

Therapy by alternative methods, which is carried out by various herbal remedies and other means of natural origin, is possible only as an auxiliary method of treatment. In no case should you use alternative treatment without the consent of the doctors.

The most effective traditional medicine recipes:

tincture of lungwort on red fortified wine. You need 80 g of wine, 40 g of vegetable raw materials, 400 g of water. Raw materials should be poured with boiling water and infused for 2 hours, then pour the wine. Keep refrigerated. Take 100 g 3 times a day before meals. The course of treatment is 5 weeks.
infusion of fruits and leaves of blueberries. Pour 5-6 tablespoons of raw materials with boiling water (1 l) and leave for 1 hour. You should drink the entire amount during the day.
fruit juice of the plant Mallow. Consume fresh.
a decoction of the leaves and berries of lingonberries.
tincture of pine nuts and their shells.

It is necessary to treat leukemia immediately after confirming the diagnosis, since the disease is characterized by a rapid course. After blood cancer therapy, the patient should be regularly monitored by an oncologist to quickly identify possible relapses of the disease.

blood cancer called a whole group of diseases, which are characterized by malignant degeneration of cells. This is an outdated name for leukemia, which was previously called leukemia.

They are usually classified:

by origin,
according to which blood cells and their blasts are affected by the pathological process;
by the rate of progression;
according to the degree of quantitative and qualitative changes reflected in the leukocyte formula.

Types of blood cancer

Often, under the definition of “blood cancer, two groups of diseases are combined:

leukemia;
tumors of the lymphatic system, including lymph nodes, tonsils, ducts, lymphoid tissue of the gastrointestinal tract, etc.

The most common forms of blood cancer are:

leukemia, or malignant degeneration of blood cells;
myeloma - neoplasms in the blood plasma;
lymphoma is a malignant tumor in the lymphatic system.

In the first two types of the disease, the pathological process occurs in the bone marrow and leads to a violation of its function of synthesizing varieties of blood cells in a normal form. These include leukocytes, platelets and erythrocytes.

Bone marrow damage causes:

frequent occurrence of infectious diseases;
anemia
the formation of bruises, bruises.

With myeloma, the production of a special substance begins, which weakens the skeletal system and has a stimulating effect on the production of proteins that negatively affect vital organs and systems.

With lymphoma, the lymphatic system is primarily affected, which leads to a significant decrease in the body's defenses and the ability to resist various diseases.

According to the form of the course, blood cancer is acute and chronic.

The acute form in most cases leads to the death of the patient a few weeks or months after the onset of the pathological process.

Causes of leukemia

The exact cause of the development of this serious disease is still unclear. Often it affects babies up to 5-7 years old, it is often found in the elderly, as well as in those working in hazardous industries.

There are some factors that provoke the development of pathology:

The impact of ionizing radiation - among radiologists, people working in enterprises with increased radiation hazard (for example, nuclear power plants) or living near such facilities or radioactive waste disposal sites.
Genetic predisposition: if parents or close relatives have blood cancer, the probability of developing it increases by 40%, in the presence of other oncological diseases - by 8%.
The influence of mutagenic and harmful substances: alcohol, cigarette smoke, nicotine, certain drugs, paints and varnishes.
The entry of viruses into the body that contribute to the degeneration of bone marrow and blood cells.
Genetic pathologies - for example, Down's syndrome.

Some blood cancers may also be associated with the following:

Unhealthy food. The presence in the diet of a large amount of fatty, salty, smoked, pickled foods, semi-finished products, sausages with the addition of preservatives, nitrates, nitrites, flavorings, dyes leads to slagging and intoxication of the body and significantly increases the risk of malignant degeneration of cells.
Promiscuous sex life.
Exposure to chemicals (benzene, etc.).
Blood disorders such as myelodysplastic syndrome.
The presence of hepatitis B and C and some other diseases.

Symptoms of the disease

Features of the course of blood cancer and its symptoms vary depending on the specific form of the process. At an early stage, there may be:

fast fatiguability;
feeling of weakness;
apathy;
general malaise;
heat;
disruption of the digestive system;
enlargement of the spleen and liver;
anemia;
nausea;
frequent infectious diseases;
swollen lymph nodes.

As the pathology progresses, the following appear:

bleeding of mucous membranes;
cachexia;
signs of hemorrhagic diathesis;
bleeding from the gums, nose;
excessive sweating, especially at night;
weight loss;
anorexia;
headache;
bloating due to an increase in the abdominal cavity;
pain in the abdomen, bones, back;
decreased visual acuity;
inability to concentrate;
the appearance of a rash on the skin, dark small spots;
decrease in the amount of urine excreted;
difficulty urinating;
cyanosis of lips, nails;
anxiety;
fainting;
severe uncontrolled bleeding.

Changes also affect the cardiovascular system. In the later stages are fixed:

severe pain in the region of the heart;
feeling of pressure and tightness in the chest;
palpitation (irregular rhythm);
tachycardia;

From the side of the respiratory system are observed:

dyspnea;
hoarse labored breathing.

The clinical picture depends on the specific form of cancer.

For leukemia characteristic:

anemia;
recurrent infectious diseases;
pain in bones and joints;
difficulty breathing.

At lymphoma symptoms vary depending on the location of the tumor. It can be in the armpit, on the neck, or in the groin.

With myeloma appear:

bleeding from the gums and nose;
bleeding cuts, abrasions and other skin lesions.

Can blood cancer be cured?

The prognosis for the treatment of this dangerous disease can be favorable with early diagnosis, strict adherence to prescriptions and the passage of all necessary procedures.

Methods are used such as:

chemotherapy;
taking corticosteroids;
a course of antiviral drugs and antibiotics;
bone marrow transplantation;
the use of immunomodulators to increase the body's defenses.

The most effective methods are chemotherapy and bone marrow transplantation.

Chemotherapy

This is the main treatment for blood cancer. Its essence is the use of the strongest medicines to destroy cancer cells.

Refusal of a course of chemotherapy can almost be equated to signing a death warrant for yourself: the patient has no chance.

The process is complex and lengthy. Within six months, patients are injected with chemicals in huge doses, which lead to the complete destruction of leukocytes. Their absence in the body causes a significant increase in vulnerability, susceptibility and sensitivity to any pathogens, infections. Patients are isolated from the outside world. Inpatient treatment is prescribed.

After the completion of the main complex, measures are taken to consolidate the result, including a number of complex medical procedures. Often there is a need for radiation therapy of the brain.

Chemotherapy leads to very serious consequences for the body. As a result of exposure to the strongest drugs, the following changes occur:

hair follicles are damaged and mostly die;
the activity of the organs of the gastrointestinal tract is disrupted;
bone marrow cells are significantly damaged;
the reproductive system suffers.

Bone marrow transplantation

This operation is possible only in the presence of a bone marrow donor. They can be the next of kin or a person with compatible blood counts. The chances of recovery and life extension increase in direct proportion to the number of matches in the blood.

The essence of the process is the destruction of all bone marrow cells in the patient, followed by the introduction of a concentrate of donor cells through a dropper. The procedure is very difficult and dangerous. As a result of its implementation, immunity is sharply reduced, and patients need long-term (up to 3 or more months) observation. Transplantation is prescribed exclusively according to indications - in most cases, young patients.

In addition, it is exceptionally expensive: the cost of transplantation ranges from 130 to 170 thousand euros.

Leukemia is a lesion of blood cells produced in the bone marrow. In blood cancer, it produces large numbers of white blood cells, often immature and unable to perform their normal functions. They are produced by normal white and red blood cells and platelets.

In leukemia, the main functions of the blood are disrupted, such as oxygen transport, blood clotting, and immunity. The causes of the disease are not well known. Some people have a higher risk of developing leukemia. Some types of the disease are genetic, may be partly hereditary. Known risk factors include chemotherapy, radiation, chemicals (pesticides), smoking, exposure to smoky environments.

- these are disorders of some cells circulating in the blood and arising in the bone marrow at the genetic level.

Due to the fact that there are many cells and stages of development, there are also several leukemias, which together are called myeloproliferative and lymphoproliferative diseases (tumor cell proliferation = reproduction).

Some types of leukemia are less serious, but they can develop into classic leukemia. These are, for example, myelodysplastic syndrome, polycythemia, primary thrombocythemia, primary myelofibrosis, etc. Their most common signs include an increased risk of bleeding and an increase in blood clotting.

Lymphoproliferative disorders include lymphomas, malignant tumors derived from blood cells, similar to leukemia, but located in the lymph nodes, which enlarge, making the disease visible.

Classical leukemia is "invisible" because it develops in the blood, while the vessels do not increase. However, sometimes it becomes leukemic, i.e., the affected cells enter the bloodstream. On the other hand, leukemia also transfers affected cells to some organs - lymph nodes (it has the form of lymphoma), spleen or liver, thus localizing.

It is impossible to say which patients - with leukemia or with lymphoma - are more amenable to treatment, because there are several types of leukemias and lymphomas; the prognosis of each patient is determined by the histological type of tumor. The more mature cells (more similar to normal healthy adult cells) and the fewer diseased cells a patient has, the better the prognosis.

Types of blood cancer

There are 4 main types of leukemia (i.e., leukemias - not lymphomas, polycythemias, thrombocythemias, etc.), which are described in more detail below.

The classification of the disease does not depend on what causes it, but on the course. The word "acute" characterizes the rapid course of the disease, for "chronic" a typically slow course. As a rule, acute leukemia lasts longer than chronic, but this largely depends on the treatment.

Some leukemias are classified into subtypes according to cellular maturity.

Acute myeloid leukemia

The disease affects predominantly the older age group, but can affect the pediatric population (up to 15 years).

Several types of cells ascend from the myeloid network, so there are several subtypes of blood cancer, corresponding to the stages of development of the affected cells.

The level of leukocytes in the blood varies individually. In some patients, the indicator can be increased tenfold, in others - normal or somewhat reduced. The more sickly the leukocytes, the more severe the disease. White blood cells are important in preventing infections, but when they get sick, they don't actually function, and a person is at risk of infection.

This leukemia is characteristic of the adult population. Most often, the disease develops at the age of 45-55 years. Men have a higher incidence. In children, the disease is rarely recorded.

This disease is characterized by the presence of the so-called. Philadelphia chromosome (PC), a component of the cell nucleus in which genes (DNA) are stored. There are several chromosomes in the cell, and in blood cancer it is chromosome 2 that is shortened, 2 genes are connected on it, under normal circumstances related to other (different) chromosomes. When combined, they cause harm associated with excessive production of leukemic cells and resistance to their disappearance. Patients with FH have a better prognosis than those without it (5% of the total percentage).

Patients usually have a significantly higher number of leukocytes. When blood becomes more viscous, blood flow slows down, and there is an increased risk of thrombosis (excessive blood clotting).

In other cases, bleeding may also occur due to a lack of platelets, although their numbers are usually normal or even elevated. However, leukemic cells are much more mature than in acute leukemia, so the prognosis of the disease is somewhat better.

Sometimes the disease is found under the name "acute lymphoblastic leukemia", which means the same thing.

It is the most common childhood leukemia and even the most common childhood cancer, affecting the 4-year-old population. This type of cancer is less common in adults, although it is common in people over 50 years of age. In total, there are 5-7 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.

This leukemia can come from either B- or T-lymphocytes. In any case, the bone marrow is massively filled with these cells, as a result of which it suppresses the initial hematopoiesis, patients become anemic, become prone to bleeding.

With the development of the disease, the lymphatic system is affected, diseased cells with blood penetrate into various organs (in particular, there is an increase in the spleen, liver).

There are several subtypes of the disease (with damage to the lymph nodes, spleen and other organs) that affect the prognosis, similar to acute myeloid leukemia, although to a lesser extent.

This is the most common type of leukemia overall, but has the best prognosis. 30 cases per 100,000 inhabitants are registered annually. Basically, this type of cancer affects men over 50 years of age.

Like the acute leukemia described above, the disease comes from B-lymphocytes. However, there are also T-leukemias, some of which have rare skin localizations (Sezari syndrome). Rare and B-leukemias originating from hairy cells (so-called hairy cell leukemia). Of course, cells have nothing to do with hair, we are talking about microscopic hairs that are on the surface of leukemic cells.

Mature B-lymphocytes predominate in the blood and bone marrow. Their predominance lies in the disorder of cell death, so they survive relatively long compared to healthy cells, not maturing, so they do not function as they should. An interesting fact is that they do not reproduce as in other leukemias, they just need to survive and thus exceed the number of healthy cells.

Causes of blood cancer

The causes of blood cancer are related to the type of disease. Each of the oncological diseases can appear, arise (they appear depending on various factors) from the bone marrow, but other conditions precede the diseases.

Acute myeloid leukemia

Causes and factors from which this type of blood cancer occurs, its origins are represented by the effects of the external environment, in particular, various chemicals, ionizing radiation. In favor of this theory is the increase in the incidence of this leukemia after the explosion of the atomic bomb in Japan.

Other equally influential factors are viral infections, previous treatment for cytotoxic tumors, and genetic influences. Some people have an inborn predisposition to blood cancer, ie. their risk of leukemia is much higher than that of individuals without a genetic predisposition. These risk groups include, first of all, patients with Down's syndrome, Klinefelter's syndrome, Fanconi anemia and Recklinghausen's disease (neurofibromatosis). People with these diseases have some genetic disorders; only a slight deviation is enough - and leukemia quickly develops, while for healthy people a minimum of 2 deviations is required.

Individuals with myelodysplastic syndrome or polycythemia are also at risk for developing blood cancer. This disease is often indicated as a direct prerequisite for the development of oncology, with polycythemia, approximately 1-2% of a healthy cell turns into a cancer cell (why leukemia appears, i.e. the development mechanism remains unknown).

Chronic myeloid leukemia

Similarly to acute, chronic blood cancer can manifest itself (manifested, by the way, relatively often) due to exposure to environmental factors.

The risk factor for cancer is the Philadelphia chromosome mentioned above.

In some rare forms of leukemia, viral infections lead to the formation of cancer cells - the HTLV-1 virus, which causes leukemia in young people in southern Japan, Africa, the Caribbean, and the Epstein-Barr virus, the causative agent of mononucleosis.

What other factors are involved? The disease can occur, as in the acute form, in risk groups of patients with certain hereditary syndromes. The occurrence of a malignant cell in these groups is recorded approximately 20 times more than among the healthy population.

More than 85% of leukemic patients have demonstrated some chromosomal defects. For example, the presence of PC, in which the so-called. hybrid leukemia (because the disease originates from both myeloid and lymphoid tissue) suggests a worse prognosis (compared to chronic myeloid leukemia, where, conversely, this altered chromosome improves prognosis).

In contrast to other types of blood cancers, an association with environmental exposure has not been demonstrated. The causative factors of this type of disease are exclusively genetic.

Note! A genetic disease is not the same as an inherited disease.

Leukemias are not usually inherited, DNA disorders are not passed on from parents, but occur in a person throughout life and, likewise, are not passed on to other offspring.

Almost all types of blood cancer are accompanied by bleeding.

Signs of blood cancer vary depending on the type and stage of the disease. The symptoms of blood cancer in the early stages differ from the manifestations of the later stages, the signs of the acute form differ from the symptoms of the chronic one. An important role in the clinical picture is played by risk factors for blood cancer. Symptoms are usually the same in women and men.

Signs of an acute form

Clinical symptoms appear very quickly - from several days to several weeks. The first signs of cancer - leukemia - are the result of the inability of the bone marrow to form enough functional blood cells and platelets.

Due to anemia (red blood cell deficiency), a person feels a loss of energy, rapid fatigue, headaches, dizziness.
The skin is also affected - symptoms include pallor, dryness.
Blood cancer symptoms include prolonged, persistent, recurrent infections due to a lack of functional white blood cells.
Platelet deficiency often results in bleeding from the nose or gums, excessive bruising and bruising without prior impact, and tiny red dots on the skin (petechiae).
Less commonly, leukemic cells accumulate in the lymph nodes, which become enlarged and tend to be tender, or in the spleen, which can enlarge and cause abdominal pain.

Symptoms of chronic leukemia

Chronic leukemia develops very slowly. The patient remains asymptomatic for a long period, usually the diagnosis is determined randomly during the study of the blood picture.

One of the first symptoms observed by a patient with chronic leukemia is a painless enlargement of some lymph nodes.
In chronic leukemia, there is pain in the abdomen, a feeling of fullness and pressure due to an enlarged spleen.
Patients may see a doctor with general symptoms that are signs of disease progression. These include: fever, increased sweating (especially at night), weight loss (more than 10% of weight within six months), general weakness, fatigue, shortness of breath, palpitations.
The first symptoms may also be the result of a hematopoietic disorder (bleeding, repeated infections, anemia).

Diagnosis of blood cancer

Blood cancer is detected (diagnosed) by examining a blood sample under a microscope. In a cancer patient, immature leukemic cells differ significantly from normal mature leukocytes. Diagnosis of blood cancer can sometimes be carried out without determining the presence of abnormal cells in the blood (they may be absent). In this case, the tumor is detected by taking a sample of the bone marrow (biopsy). This study is carried out by inserting a needle into the chest under local anesthesia and sampling some of its contents. The diagnosis established in this way is the most reliable.

If blood cancer is diagnosed on time, this simplifies the question of what to do for therapeutic purposes, therefore, improves the prognosis of the disease.

blood cancer in children

Leukemia is one of the most common (30%) malignant diseases among children aged 1-15 years.

Symptoms

The signs of blood cancer in children reflect the degree of bone marrow failure. The onset of the disease varies. In 2/3 of cases, there is an acute onset of manifestations of blood cancer; symptoms are expressive, the diagnosis is established within 3-6 weeks. Sometimes the first manifestations can be non-specific and persist for several months.

The first non-specific symptoms:

fatigue, loss of appetite, irritability, fever;
enlargement of the liver and spleen;
anemia due to a decrease in the number of red blood cells;
subcutaneous bleeding (bruises, hematomas) as a result of platelet deficiency;
serious infections due to the absence of white blood cells;
headache, vomiting, persistent cough;
swollen lymph nodes;
bone pain, mainly in the lower extremities, shoulders and spine (limping, the child refuses to walk).

The reasons

In children, changes in the number or structure of chromosomes have been demonstrated, the onset of such disorders may occur already during intrauterine development. However, the chromosomes themselves are not enough for the development of leukemia. Changes in chromosomes can also be caused by common bacterial or viral diseases.

Different changes in chromosomes have different effects on the development of tumor diseases.

Treatment

Treatment of acute leukemia in children is a combination of cytotoxic treatment (chemotherapy) lasting up to 2 years. The intensity of treatment is different. In patients with a low risk of recurrence of the disease, therapy is more moderate. In the case of a high risk of developing leukemia, the intensity of treatment is much higher.

Stages of blood cancer

Similarly to the classification of leukemia into separate forms of the disease, 4 stages of blood cancer. In the question of how to determine the degree of the disease, the clinical picture plays an important role.

Phases (stages) characterizing the development of leukemia (leukemia):

Grade 1 - the initial stage of blood cancer is characterized by the following manifestations: exacerbation of chronic infections, a significant deterioration in general health, minor changes in the blood and bone marrow (earlier, at an early stage, these signs are sometimes absent).
Stage 2 blood cancer is characterized by significant changes in the composition of the blood. Without proper treatment, the second stage abruptly develops into the last stage (complete suppression of the hematopoietic system), or phase 3 begins - a period of remission.
Phase 3, characterized by the absence of external manifestations, is often detected by chance during a blood test due to other diseases. At this stage, an increase in the number of white blood cells is diagnosed. In case of excessive excess of the normal level, leukapheresis is performed.

Grade 4 blood cancer is characterized by the formation of secondary tumors, accompanied by a rapid increase in the number of hematopoietic cells. This leads to the development of the most severe stage of leukemia and complications associated with the disease (enlargement of the spleen, liver, lymph nodes).

Treatment of blood cancer

Is leukemia curable or not? Can the disease be completely cured, which types of cure are the least demanding?

Modern drug therapy makes it possible to completely treat lymphoblastic and lymphocytic leukemia, significantly prolong the life expectancy of patients with myeloid leukemia.

With all methods of treating blood cancer, the most important requirement is to maintain the functioning of the patient's bone marrow until his condition returns to normal. Anti-cancer drugs at the very beginning of therapy can worsen the condition rather than improve it. Managing these complications requires medical care at the highest level.

blood cancer is cured by using 2 courses (chemotherapy).

Course 1

This is an invasive treatment, which is always carried out in a hospital, aimed at destroying as many white blood cells as possible and ridding the patient of leukemic cells.

Cells multiply by dividing one into two new ones. During this process, the mother cell's genetic material (DNA) contained in its nucleus is divided in half. Cytotoxic drugs prevent division and therefore prevent the formation of new leukemic cells. After treatment, normal bone marrow cells can grow back and produce functional white blood cells.

2 course

The second therapeutic course is supportive. Treatment is carried out at home and is aimed at keeping the disease in remission.

During treatment, a second hospital stay is usually required. The patient is considered cured if he survived for 5 years without signs of recurrence of the disease.

Alternatively, leukemia cells can be suppressed with radiation therapy. A large dose of radioactive radiation stops the formation of all cells, but smaller doses disrupt only abnormal cells. This means that tumor cells are more sensitive than healthy ones, and treatment can be adjusted to stop their proliferation without damaging normal blood cells.

In the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia today, the brain and spinal cord are irradiated because leukemic cells sometimes attack the nervous system in the later stages of the disease. Radiation therapy will reduce the chance of this complication.

Patients with chronic leukemia remain in remission for long periods of time without any symptoms, but the disease periodically and repeatedly enters the acute phase, requiring treatment similar to the acute phase of the disease. Patients with chronic leukemia can survive for many years, and taking modern drugs significantly improves their quality of life.

Recently, bone marrow transplantation has been increasingly used to treat chronic myeloid leukemia. The results of these operations are steadily improving.

Folk remedies

Blood cancer occurs in some cases completely inexplicable. However, you can try to avoid the development of the disease, and if it occurs, improve the therapeutic process. For this, it is important to strengthen the body from the inside.

One natural remedy is a tamarisk-based tincture that activates iron metabolism and production. Tamarisk also significantly supports proper blood clotting.

You can enhance the formation of red blood cells with a tincture of a mixture of Eleutherococcus, heather, sea buckthorn and tamarisk. Tincture accelerates the process of cleansing the body and blood, enhances the activity of the heart and liver.

To support the recovery process after chemotherapy, an herbal course of taking tincture of ginseng, birch, bellflower and tamarisk, which stimulate hematopoiesis and favorably affect the blood picture, will help.

Supporting the production of white blood cells also plays an important role. In this case, grapevine gemmotherapy will help.

Herbs that support bone marrow function include rhemania and ashwagandha. An equally important factor is the strengthening of immunity, which is necessary for the body to fight any cancer. The most effective in this regard are spotted eleutherococcus, American hazel and heather.

Blood cancer is a whole group of oncological diseases. Each individual category destroys a healthy hematopoietic structure, increasing the likelihood of the human body prone to infectious pathologies. A person becomes weak in front of a number of lesions - anemia, hemorrhages and other atypical conditions of the body. These pathologies can lead to subsequent death. According to the scientific in oncology, the disease is called "Hemoblastosis".

Blood cancer differs in characteristics from other oncological pathologies. Disease means the mutation of healthy tissue into a malignant one. There is an uncontrolled division of the affected cells, which displaces normal blood cells. The oncological process is observed throughout the human body.

The cancer cell spreads along with the blood, which makes it very difficult to diagnose this disease at the initial stage. If doctors manage to determine the tumor in the later stages by analysis, in most cases the neoplasm has time to affect the bone marrow, namely, it covers the inner region of the chest and pelvic bones.

The composition of the blood includes several key cells that perform the assigned functions. Erythrocytes fill the tissues of the body with oxygen, platelets accelerate the healing of wounds and crevices, and leukocytes protect the human body from dangerous antibodies, protecting against the penetration of foreign bacteria into tissues that can provoke pathogenic processes. A normal cell is made in the bone marrow. Therefore, at the initial stage of development, cells are most susceptible to the negative influence of various factors.

Regardless of the variety, the tissue is capable of transforming into a malignant, cancerous one. Over time, the lesion begins to endlessly and uncontrollably divide and spread to nearby materials, affecting the human body in general. At the same time, these tissues differ in a different structure and are not able to show their own functions by 100%. Scientists have not been able to identify the exact causes of the mutation process of materials. However, factors that can affect the development of atypicality in tissues have been identified:

radiation, the radiation level in places where people live is dangerous;
ecological situation;
harmful effects of chemicals;
incorrect intake of the prescribed course of medications and preparations;
unhealthy, unbalanced diet, consisting mainly of foods that adversely affect human health;
severe chronic pathologies - for example, HIV;
excess body weight;
use of tobacco products and alcoholic products.

Types of cancer

In medical practice, there are two main types of blood cancer - chronic and acute leukemia. Often, a malignant oncological process is characterized by a number of varieties and is divided into types of damage to blood cell tissues. The aggressive nature of the development of oncology, the intensity and rate of reproduction of the neoplasm and expansion in nearby structures of the body also depend on the typology.

chronic type

In most cases, oncological disease provokes the degeneration of leukocytes. After mutation, the cells acquire a granular structure. The disease resolves on its own at a slow pace. Gradually, due to the replacement of affected leukocytes with normal ones, hematopoiesis is disturbed. The following types are distinguished in the chronic type:

Megakaryocytic leukemia - stem cell degeneration occurs. There are multiple pathological conditions in the bone marrow. As a result, unhealthy tissues are produced, rapidly dividing and actively filling the blood with themselves, which is reflected in the analysis. The percentage of platelets increases.
Chronic myeloid leukemia - this type of cancer is diagnosed in more cases in men than in women. The disease occurs after the mutation of bone marrow cells.
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia - the indicated type of pathology in the early stages is asymptomatic or shows a small number of signs, expressed by low intensity. Leukocytes accumulate in the materials of organs, which leads to an excess number of cells in the human body.
Chronic monocytic leukemia - the latter form does not increase the leukocyte count in the patient's body. However, over time, the quantitative volume of monocytes increases.

Acute leukemia

Acute leukemia is characterized by a marked increase in the level of blood cells. At the same time, accelerated progression and rapid division of a cancerous neoplasm are noted. This type of cancer develops rapidly. Therefore, the acute form of leukemia is the most severe course of the disease for the patient. The following types of acute leukemia are distinguished:

Lymphoblastic leukemia is a malignant disease more often detected in children in the age group from 1 to 5 years. Pathology involves the modification of lymphocytes to cancer. The condition causes a symptom of severe poisoning and a strong decrease in the body's immune defenses.
Erythromyeloblastic leukemia - the bone marrow acts as a native source, triggering an increased rate of development of erythroblasts (normoblasts). The quantitative level of red cells increases.
Myeloid leukemia - in standard situations, characteristic disorders occur in the DNA of blood cell bodies. As a result, the affected cancer cell fully overlaps and displaces normal structures. In parallel, there is a deficiency of cells, regardless of the type of substances - leukocytes, platelets or erythrocytes.
Megakaryoblastic leukemia - megakaryoblasts and undifferentiated blasts rapidly increase in the bone marrow. In particular, cancer affects children with developmental disabilities (Down's syndrome).
Monoblastic leukemia - in the process of developing a malignant pathology, the temperature systematically changes, there is a serious intoxication of the body in a person suffering from blood cancer.

Symptoms of oncology depending on the stage

The first symptoms of blood cancer can signal the presence in the body of other types of pathologies. Therefore, a person rarely seeks medical help at an early stage. As a result, the patient loses a lot of precious time.

Over time, other symptoms may appear in the later stages, which indicate a developing atypical process in the patient's body. Often, an altered state in a person can be suspected by his relatives, who send the victim for a medical examination.

First stage

The following first signs are distinguished, indicating the course of a malignant formation in the body at stage 1:

General weakness in the body, frequent occurrence of dizziness.
Subfebrile temperature at around 37.0-37.5 degrees. It is characterized by the absence of any changes for a long time.
Painful manifestations in the muscle structure and joints.
Unreasonable headache.
The presence of aversion to food, to smells.
Changes in food preferences.
Frequent trips to the toilet due to impaired urination.
Frequent development of pathologies of an infectious nature.

In some situations, some types of blood cancer provoke an increase in the size of the spleen and liver in the victim. The condition that expresses the initial stage is determined through such symptoms of the onset of formation - increased bloating, a feeling of heaviness in the hypochondrium and an increase in the size of the abdomen. Also, additional signs of the disease in the patient are the unreasonable appearance of bleeding from the nasal cavity, the appearance of blood secretions on the mucous tissues and the formation of hematomas caused by even a slight intensity of blows.

Doctors note that, despite the intensity and severity of the manifestation of these factors, the patient does not seek medical help. As a result, the necessary diagnostic procedures do not take place on time, which contribute to the rapid start of therapeutic measures, and they are in no hurry to get checked out to find out about their health. Often, a change in the normal state of the body and health is initially noted by relatives. A person has an unreasonable sharp loss of body weight, the skin cover becomes pale. The patient shows irritability and aggression, unusual for him before. There is frequent drowsiness and tearfulness.

Also, a characteristic symptom of blood cancer is expressed by the compaction of the nodules that have arisen under the skin and confirms the presence of oncology. In particular, the nodule is formed on the skin in the cervical region, in the armpits and in the groin. Pathological nodules are accompanied by pronounced soreness. The disease causes inflammation of the lymph nodes, signaling a smooth transition of the oncological process to a further stage of progression.

Second stage

Stage 2 hemoblastosis is called "expanded". The second stage is characterized by a strong manifestation of the symptoms of the above symptoms of the initial stage. Additionally, the patient has the following symptoms of blood cancer:

Systematically there is dizziness, accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
A person is motion sick regardless of the chosen method of movement. The symptom appears even in people who have not encountered this problem before.
Active sweating during night sleep.
A sharp decrease in body weight without serious reasons.

In most situations, before the manifestation of the above symptoms, a significant part of patients are already familiar with their own diagnosis. After the prescribed treatment regimen, the oncological process flows into one of the following forms of development:

Remission - the form reflects the positive results of the therapy. At the end of this treatment, the production of malignant tissues in the body of the victim stops for a certain time period.
Terminal - doctors warn of severe destruction and disruption of normal functioning, which is expressed by the hematopoietic system. This type of pathology does not allow to stop the development of oncology. The only task and opportunity of the attending physician in the treatment of the patient is to maintain the norm in the state of human health, carrying out therapeutic procedures that affect the degree of manifestation of symptoms.

Third stage

If it was not possible to diagnose the disease up to degree 3, atypicality is detected, based on the following symptoms:

The nail plate and the skin of the lips are painted blue.
Temperature readings increase to 38 degrees and above.
There are painful manifestations in the cardiac department.
Tachycardia occurs, and the volume of the frequency of myocardial contraction is unnecessarily increased.
The patient suffers from a respiratory disorder.
In the abdominal region, painful sensations of a jerking nature are observed.
Uncontrolled bleeding occurs.
Convulsive seizures in muscle structures are noted.
The level of anxiety increases.
A fainting state appears. In some situations, stage 3 manifests itself in such a way that the body does not even have a minimal reaction to the influence of external irritating factors.

Determination of these signs of oncological pathology in a patient requires emergency hospitalization. The danger consists in a threat to the normal health and life of the victim.

fourth stage

Chronic leukemia in the early stages of progression passes without pronounced signs. In most cases, the acute form of cancer is determined after passing the necessary blood tests. If the disease is actively progressing, secondary tumor neoplasms are formed in the human body, the size of the liver and spleen change, the size of the lymph nodes increases, and an excess volume of blastoma is produced in the blood.

This stage is referred to as "irreversible". The doctor manages to increase the life expectancy of the victim with a chronic type of blood cancer only in 5% of cases. The patient's body is subjected to a chaotic and uncontrolled spread of malignant cells that affect various organs and structures of the body. Stage 4 blood cancer is accompanied by the following number of symptoms:

Multiple low-quality cancers that penetrate the brain, lungs and liver. At the same time, the pathogenic neoplasm actively progresses and expands in nearby structures.
Formation of cancer of the bone structure.
The formation of a fatal degree of pancreatic cancer.

Diagnostics

Only a qualified doctor can determine an accurate and final diagnosis after the patient has completed the prescribed research procedures and received the final results of the examinations and tests. Diagnosis of cancer involves the passage of the following measures, and it is also required to pass a number of tests:

general analysis for cancer;
biochemical analyzes - biochemistry;
electrocardiography;
electroencephalography;
bone marrow examination;
x-ray;
immunological research;
delivery of molecular genetic analysis;
cytogenetic examination.

Methods of treatment of blood cancer

Chemotherapy is the central treatment for blood cancer. Cytostatic drugs are used. The course of inpatient treatment is 6 months. After treatment and procedures can be done on an outpatient basis. During the first weeks, special physical solutions of prescribed medicinal substances are systematically administered through a catheter from a vein and intra-arterially. The duration of therapy reaches 2 years.

For accelerated recovery and the passage of the rehabilitation period, it is possible to perform stem cell transplantation and pass the appropriate tests. The tissue is taken from both bone marrow and donated blood. The transplanted stem cell forms healthy blood cells that were damaged during the chemotherapy procedure. Transplantation is a debilitating process and is associated with some risks and dangerous consequences. However, the procedure is necessary to obtain a positive result.

If the doctor managed to destroy the affected foci in the patient's body, an infusion of the donor's blood is performed. The method helps to restore the normal level of erythrocytes and platelets in a patient. In some situations, radiation therapy is carried out. The technique allows you to see a positive result of treatment. It is important to strictly follow the regimen prescribed by the doctor and follow the clinical recommendations. It is recommended to protect the contact of the victim with others to prevent possible infection. If cancer recurs, bone marrow transplantation is possible. The effectiveness of the operation is always based on the compatibility of the blood of the donor and the patient.

Depending on the stage of development of the pathology, leukemia manifests itself differently. Life expectancy is directly based on the degree of progression of the malignant course and the type of leukemia. In rare cases, blood cancer is detected in the initial stages. The first symptoms are similar in general manifestation to other, less dangerous diseases. If the disease flows to stage 4, it is not possible to cure a cancerous neoplasm in a patient.

The pathogenic process becomes almost irreversible. Cellular mutation occurs actively and uncontrollably, all organs and structures of the human body are covered. The prognosis reflects a survival rate of 5% in advanced patients. Patients have a very short lifespan.

It is difficult to name an exact vital indicator. The result depends on the personal characteristics of the patient's body, the degree of development of the disease and the effectiveness of the selected therapeutic method.

Treatment of blood cancer in children

In practice, benign or malignant blood cancer often occurs in children aged 1 year and younger than 5 years. Tissue atypicality is affected by radiation received by the mother during pregnancy, psychosomatics and leukemia. Also, the health of the child is reflected in the genetic disorder of the cells inside the child's body. However, the pathology develops according to a similar principle as in adults. The child is faced with a number of all accompanying signs. The main difference is that children are more likely to have a successful recovery. In a child, cell regeneration is at a high level compared to adult patients.

In most situations, babies are diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. This pathology is typical for 80-85% of younger patients with blood cancer. Oncological course in children is treated according to similar schemes, as in adults. For therapeutic purposes, chemotherapy and bone marrow transplantation are carried out. At the same time, according to statistical information, chemotherapy procedures at an early age show the most positive result, which is seriously lower in the adult population of patients. The reason lies in the characteristics of the child's body. Children quickly recover and return to normal after exposure to medications.

Survival prognosis for blood cancer

To identify an accurate and correct prognosis regarding the cure of cancer, the doctor must take into account the location of the pathogenic focus and the stage of development when it was possible to detect a dangerous pathology. According to statistics, for patients suffering from chronic leukemia, the prognosis is the best compared to the acute type of oncology. Also, a positive outcome is predicted in children. In particular, when the disease is detected in the early stages of progression.

With the transition of leukemia from a chronic type to an acute type, doctors talk about a life expectancy equal to the limit from six months to 12 months. However, with timely diagnosis and prompt treatment, it is possible to increase life expectancy up to 7 years. Acute leukemia can be cured if the malignant process is detected at an early stage. If treatment began at a late stage, the course of oncological pathology ends in death.

It is important to understand that in general prediction of the probable outcome of the treatment of a disease, the attending physician is guided solely by a list of general statistical information about similar diagnoses and situations. Information is collected on questions of how long and how people with blood cancer live in such cases. However, the clinical case is individual. You can not fully trust the forecast compiled by the doctor, since the accuracy of the indicators has not been proven.

Medical practice will show that among 100 thousand people, five people fall ill with oncology. Men are 1.5 times more likely to be affected by blood cell cancer. Women rarely face danger. Chronic leukemia mostly occurs in people in the age group of 40 to 50 years. Acute leukemia often occurs in adolescents over the age of 10 and under the age of 18.

In children, the oncological process is detected in about 3-4 patients among 100 thousand people. Acute lymphoblastic leukemia is successfully treated at an early stage in 85-90% of diagnosed cases. With late diagnosis of the disease, recovery rates decrease to 60-65% of cases. Properly conducted therapy, regardless of the severity of the ongoing pathology, can result in up to 6-7 additional years of life.

Speaking about how long adult patients suffering from a variety of oncological pathology live, it is difficult to provide a definitive answer. With well-conducted treatment and with a timely diagnosed malignant disease, a person is able to live for more than five years. However, doctors are unable to predict life expectancy among patients with acute and chronic types of blood cancer.