LEUKEMIA
Leukemia is a cancer of the blood or bone marrow and is characterized by an abnormal production by multiplication of blood cells, usually white blood cells (leukocytes).
Doctors often find chronic leukemia in a routine blood test, before symptoms begin. If you have signs or symptoms that suggest leukemia, you may undergo the following diagnostic exams: physical exam, blood tests, immunophenotyping, cytogenetic analysis, and a bone marrow sample.
Leukemia. Symptoms
- Tiredness or no energy
- Shortness of breath during physical activity
- Pale skin
- Mild fever or night sweats
- Slow healing of cuts and excess bleeding
- Black-and-blue marks (bruises) for no clear reason
- Pinhead-size red spots under the skin
- Aches in bones or joints (for example, knees, hips or shoulders)
- Low white cell counts, especially monocytes or neutrophils.
Treatment
- It is important to get medical care at a center where doctors are experienced in treating patients with leukemia. The aim of leukemia treatment is to bring about a complete remission. Today, more and more leukemia patients are in complete remission at least five years after treatment.
- Patients with an acute leukemia need to start treatment right away. Usually, they begin induction therapy with chemotherapy in the hospital.
- More inpatient treatment is usually needed even after a patient is in remission. This is called consolidation therapy or post induction therapy. This part of treatment may include chemotherapy with or without allogeneic stem cell transplantation (sometimes called "bone marrow transplantation").
Follow-up
Patients who are in remission need to see their doctors regularly for exams and blood tests.
After diagnosis, many people with leukemia do survive and live many good, quality years. Knowing more about the disease and its treatment may make it easier to cope.
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TOKUDA HOSPITAL SOFIA - Bulgaria
Tokuda Hospital Sofia is a new multiprofile hospital launched by the largest Japanese medical corporation Tokoshukai Medical Corporation, its first facility outside Japan, in the capital of Bulgaria, Sofia. Подробнее »
