� Autobiography
    � Genealogy
    � Pictures

    � Elementary
    � Secondary

    � Fashion designs
    � Poems
    � Short Stories

    � Abour her

    � Leukemia
    � Rheumatic Heart

    � NEWSPAPERS

    � BENEFACTORS
    � How to help

    � Bohol
    � Loboc 400

She was diagnosed to have leukemia, said to be a genetic heriditary disease. It is also known as cancer of the blood and the blood-forming tissues. The exact cause of most leukemia cases however remains unknown. She was diagnosed to have it in 1997 and it was gone for she took vitamins. However, it came back and took her life.

Leukemia is a malignant disease (cancer) that originates in a cell in the marrow. It is characterized by the uncontrolled growth of developing marrow cells. There are two major classifications of leukemia: myelogenous or lymphocytic, which can each be acute or chronic. The terms myelogenous or lymphocytic denote the cell type involved. Thus, four major types of leukemia are: acute or chronic myelogenous leukemia and acute or chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Acute leukemia is a rapidly progressing disease that results in the accumulation of immature, functionless cells in the marrow and blood. The marrow often can no longer produce enough normal red and white blood cells and platelets. Anemia, a deficiency of red cells, develops in virtually all leukemia patients. The lack of normal white cells impairs the body's ability to fight infections. A shortage of platelets results in bruising and easy bleeding. Chronic leukemia progresses more slowly and permits greater numbers of more mature, functional cells to be made.

New Cases. Among an estimated 31,500 new cases of leukemia in the United States this year, about equal proportions are acute leukemia and chronic types. Most cases occur in older adults; more than half of all cases occur after age 60. Leukemia usually strikes ten times as many adults as children. Leukemia is the most common cancer among children and acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) accounts for 80 percent of the childhood leukemia cases.

The most common types of leukemia in adults are acute myelogenous leukemia (AML), with an estimated 10,000 new cases annually; and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), with some 8,100 new cases each year. Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) affects about 4,700 persons each year. Acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) will account for about 3,500 cases this year. Other unclassified forms of leukemia account for the 5,200 remaining cases.

Signs and Symptoms. Signs of acute leukemia may include: easy bruising or bleeding (as a result of platelet deficiency), paleness or easy fatigue (as a result of anemia), recurrent minor infections or poor healing of minor cuts (as a result of impaired white cell function). These symptoms and signs are not specific to leukemia and may be caused by other disorders. They do however, warrant medical evaluation. A proportion of people with chronic leukemia may not have major symptoms and are diagnosed during a periodic medical examination. The diagnosis of leukemia requires examination of the cells in blood or marrow.

Possible Causes. Anyone can get leukemia. Leukemia affects all ages and both sexes. The cause of leukemia is not known. Chronic exposure to benzene in the workplace and exposure to extraordinary doses ofirradiation can be causes of the disease, neither explains most cases.

Treatment. The aim of treatment is to bring about a complete remission. Complete remission means that there is no evidence of the disease and the patient returns to good health with normal blood and marrow cells. Relapse indicates a return of the leukemia cells and return of other signs and symptoms of the disease. For acute leukemia, a complete remission that lasts five years after treatment often indicates cure. Treatment centers are reporting increasing numbers of children and younger adults with leukemia in complete remission at least five years after diagnosis of their disease.

Survival. The overall five-year survival rate has tripled in the past 40 years for patients with leukemia. In 1960, the overall five-year survival rate was 14 percent, by the 1970's it had reached 35 percentand now the overall five-year survival rate is 44 percent. The survival rates differ by age of the patient and type of disease. The overall five-year survival rate for all patients with acute and chronic leukemia is 44 percent. Acute lymphocytic leukemia overall five-year survival is 58 percent Chronic lymphocytic leukemia overall five-year survival is 71 percent Acute myelogenous leukemia overall five-year survival is 14 percent Chronic myelogenous leukemia overall five-year survival is 32 percent The overall five-year survival rate for children with acute lymphocytic leukmia is 81 percent. The survival rate for children with acute myelogenous leukemia is 43 percent At the present time there are approximately 144,000 people living with leukemia in the United States.

Deaths. Approximately 21,500 deaths in the United States are expected to be attributed to leukemia in 2001 (12,100 males and 9,500 females). There will be an estimated 4,600 deaths from chronic lymphocytic leukemia and 1,400 deaths from acute lymphocytic leukemia. There will be an estimated 7,200 deaths from acute myelogenous leukemia and 2,300 deaths from chronic myelogenous leukemia. Unclassified forms of leukemia will account for 6,000 additional deaths. Leukemia is the most common cause of cancer death among men under age 40. Among women, leukemia is the leading cause of cancer death before age 20. The estimated numbers of deaths attributed to leukemia in the United States are about 25 percent higher for males than females. The leukemia death rate for children in the United States has declined 61 percent over the last three decades. Despite this decline, leukemia remains a leading cause of death among children under age 15. Approximately 672 deaths from childhood leukemia (all disease types) are expected in 2001.

Get More Information

Further details of treatment and supportive care and the beneficial and adverse effects of treatment may be obtained from the Society's informational booklets on acute myelogenous, acute lymphocytic, chronic myelogenous, chronic lymphocytic or hairy cell leukemia.

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Home Office
1311 Mamaroneck Ave.
White Plains, NY 10605
or call the Information Resource Center at (800) 955-4572.

OTHER LINKS... Click here to know about leukemia.

Click here to know about leukemia.

We need to update this site from time to time. Our research about leukemia will not push through unless there are concern individuals who can help us to inform the public about leukemia. You can send your donations to achieve our dreams.
Click here on how to save a life.