Essay On Pediatric Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

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Cancer is a big issue in America, it is the second leading cause of death. It affects many different ranges of people whether it is there age, race, and ethnicity. “Pediatric acute lymphocytic leukemia incidence rates out of 1,000,000 for ages 0-19 in 2006-2010 for sex and race/ethnicity; 38.4 for boys, 30.2 for girls, 34.2 for non-hispanic white, 18.3 for non-hispanic black, 44.9 for hispanic, and 28.7 for asian american/pacific islander” (American Cancer Society, 2014). Pediatric oncology is something that I would like to go to school for and specialize in. Cancer is a very aggressive disease, there is no way to cure or prevent it. Trying to fight the cancer could be very arduous, which would make it harder on children who may not be strong enough, so they need someone to help them withstand some of the discomfort. Leukemia is the most …show more content…
There are many different types of leukemia but the most prevalent type is acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), also called acute lymphocytic leukemia.
Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is one of the most common types of cancers in children. “The estimated cases of acute lymphocytic leukemia in 2014 for children was approximately 2,670 (26%)” (American Cancer Society, 2014). It is a type of cancer that affects the blood and bone marrow. Acute lymphoblastic leukemia affects the white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets. Bone marrow makes blood stem cells, which are immature, and in healthy children they become mature and eventually become a myeloid stem cell or a lymphoid stem cell. The myeloid stem cell then can become a red blood cell, which carries oxygen and other substances to the tissues of the body. It can also become a platelet which help form blood clots to stop bleeding. The third option is becoming a white blood cell that

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