Various risk factors have been associated with each type of Leukemia. The chance of developing Acute Myeloid Leukemia is increased by smoking. It is widely known that smoking can cause cancers of the mouth, throat, and lungs; however, cancer-causing substances can also be absorbed into the bloodstream through the lungs and travel to other parts of the body. Other risk factors for AML include exposure to: certain chemicals such as benzene and possibly formaldehyde, certain chemotherapy drugs with which the risk increase peaks years after treatment, and radiation. Certain blood disorders including chronic myeloproliferative disorders also increase the risk of developing AML. Additional risk factors include genetic syndromes that are caused by
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Leukemia cells can generally replace the bone marrows normal blood making cells. Patients with CLL will not make enough RBC, WBC or platelets. 5 This can lead to anemia (shortage of RBC), Leukopenia (shortage of WBC), Neutropenia (shortage of neutrophils; this can lead to serious bacterial infections), or Thrombocytopenia (shortage of blood platelets which can lead to excess bruising or bleeding). 5 CLL is a cancer of B lymphocytes which normally make antibodies which can help fight infection. With CLL present, the antibodies are not made properly so they do not work as well or can even attack platelets and cells that make them. 5 In some cases the antibodies can even attack WBC leading to leukopenia. When diagnosing CLL a complete blood count and blood cell exam is performed. Specifically in CLL the patient has an overabundance of lymphocytes. If the number of them is over 10,000/mm3 then there is a strong possibility that CLL is present. 6 Another important test in diagnosing CLL is flow cytometry. 6 This test identifies what cells they are and can be used to see if the lymphocytes in a sample of blood contain CLL cells. It can also find CLL in bone marrow or other fluids. If a patient has more than 5,000/mm3 of CLL cells in the blood they more than likely have it. 6 The karyotype of someone with CLL can be used to see three deletions of 13, 11, or 17. 6 If chromosome 17 is partly deleted there is a poor outlook and other less common chromosome changes include trisomy 12 (extra copy) or a translocation between 11 and 14.
Leukemia cells can generally replace the bone marrows normal blood making cells. Patients with CLL will not make enough RBC, WBC or platelets. 5 This can lead to anemia (shortage of RBC), Leukopenia (shortage of WBC), Neutropenia (shortage of neutrophils; this can lead to serious bacterial infections), or Thrombocytopenia (shortage of blood platelets which can lead to excess bruising or bleeding). 5 CLL is a cancer of B lymphocytes which normally make antibodies which can help fight infection. With CLL present, the antibodies are not made properly so they do not work as well or can even attack platelets and cells that make them. 5 In some cases the antibodies can even attack WBC leading to leukopenia. When diagnosing CLL a complete blood count and blood cell exam is performed. Specifically in CLL the patient has an overabundance of lymphocytes. If the number of them is over 10,000/mm3 then there is a strong possibility that CLL is present. 6 Another important test in diagnosing CLL is flow cytometry. 6 This test identifies what cells they are and can be used to see if the lymphocytes in a sample of blood contain CLL cells. It can also find CLL in bone marrow or other fluids. If a patient has more than 5,000/mm3 of CLL cells in the blood they more than likely have it. 6 The karyotype of someone with CLL can be used to see three deletions of 13, 11, or 17. 6 If chromosome 17 is partly deleted there is a poor outlook and other less common chromosome changes include trisomy 12 (extra copy) or a translocation between 11 and 14.