Lymphoblastic Leukaemia

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a malignant ailment and a form of cancer of the bone marrow in which early lymphoid precursors reproduce and replace the normal hematopoietic cells of the bone marrow by reproducing the large numbers of abnormal immature lymphocytes. Lymphocytes are white blood cells that generate antibodies and are very important parts of the body's immune system. The condition of acute lymphoblastic leukemia is an overproduction of immature lymphocytes, called lymphoblasts (sometimes referred to as blast cells).

There are two different types of lymphocytes: B-lymphocytes and T-lymphocytes. The unusual lymphoblasts continue to divide and multiply, but do not mature into appropriate lymphocytes. The frequently reproduced immature blood cells gathers in the bone marrow and thus cause damage and death by crowding the normal cells and by spreading to other body organs. This disease is the only type of leukemia, and one of the few forms of cancer, that is common in childhood & young adults. Avoiding it, may cause of death.

The symptoms which usually appears and experienced mainly are- Looking pale which may be due to anemia caused by a lack of red blood cells, Feeling breathless and very tired at the slightest effort, Feeling usually sick and run-down, perhaps with a sore throat or sore mouth, Paining joints and bones as the bones are affected by leukemia cells, Having a range of infections one after the other, caused by low immune system and Unusual bleeding caused by the reduced number of platelets. Cause of the disease is not known; however it is fact that the lymphoblastic leukemia, like other cancers, is not infectious and cannot be passed on to other people. The treatment is for basically to destroy the leukemia cells, stop production of abnormal immature lymphocytes and allow the bone marrow to work normally again. A patient suffering with lymphoblastic leukemia can get better result if it is detected earlier and treatment begins in earlier stage. The courses of treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia are- Chemotherapy (sometimes combined with radiotherapy) and Stem cell transplant. Chemotherapy is a curing procedure in which an oncologist uses anti-cancer drugs to kill cancer cells, or to stop them from reproducing or multiplying. Two main steroids used during chemotherapy are Prednisolone or Dexamethasone. A stem cell transplant (SCT) (usually also called as bone marrow transplant) is not commonly performed. It is used in case where the leukemia has recurred following the usual treatment with chemotherapy. Radiation therapy is also used during treatment by using of high energy rays on the bony areas, through which cancerous cells are being destroyed without causing much harm to the healthy cells.

Procedure takes some time to get full recovery of health. The duration of the recuperation period depends on the methodology which is used for the treatment. Ultimately you get healthier hematopoietic cells after the treatment.