Chandler+P

media type="custom" key="8727252" width="96" height="96" media type="custom" key="8727258"

media type="custom" key="9474656"


 * Classification of Leukemia **


 * 1. ** Leukemia is split into two groups:
 * Acute leukemia - //increase in the amount of immature blood cells//
 * Chronic leukemia - //build up of mature but unhealthy white blood cells//


 * 2.** The two groups above are then split into two other sections:
 * Lymphoblastic or Lymphocytic leukemia - // when cancer occurs in certain marrow cells that make lymphocytes(infection-fighting immune system cells) //
 * Myelogenous or Myeloid leukemia - //when cancerous changes take place in bone marrow cells that make blood cells and platelets//


 * 3.** Lymphoblastic and Myelogenous leukemia are finally divided into four different types of leukemia:
 * Acute lymphoblastic leukemia - //most common form of leukemia found in children//
 * Acute myelogenous leukemia - //mainly known to occur in male adults//
 * Chronic lymphocytic leukemia - //generally affects adults and 2/3 of those diagnosed are men//
 * Chronic myelogenous leukemia - //typically found in adults and only a small number of children//


 * Ways Leukemia is Diagnosed **


 * Physical exams - //doctor feels for enlarged lymph nodes, liver or spleen//
 * Blood tests - //blood cell counts can determine if the patient has a bizarre number of white blood cells//
 * Chest x-rays - //may show swollen lymph nodes//
 * Spinal tap - //a lab will check for leukemia cells in the cerebrospinal fluid after it has been medically removed from the body//
 * Cytogenetics - //a sample taken from the patient's blood, lymph nodes or bone marrow is checked by a lab for atypical chromosomes//
 * Biopsy - // bone marrow is removed from a large bone in the body to see if the tissue contains cancerous cells //