Leukemia is a cancer of the blood. Leukemia begins when healthy blood cells change and grow out of control. Chronic lymphocytic leukemia is a cancer of the lymphocytes. Lymphocytes are a type of white blood cell involved in the body’s immune system. In some people with CLL, the disease grows and progresses slowly which means that it will take more time for the symptoms to grow. www. Mayoclinic.org/cancer
CLL was known to be a disease of later age and twice as common in men. Not all patients diagnosed with CLL in the 1950s would have this disease when assessed with modern diagnostic techniques, but would instead have had leukemic involvement, but the presenting features of lymphocytosis, lymphadenopathy and splenomegaly …show more content…
They try so hard to discover why it spread people donate money to try to help the cancer society. Since the cause is unknown, there is no way to prevent CLL sometimes it could be hereditary. People are born with the disease physicians are not sure what starts the process that causes chronic lymphocytic leukemia. They don’t know why something happens to cause a genetic transition in the” DNA of blood-producing cells. This mutation causes the blood cells to produce abnormal, ineffective lymphocytes — one type of white blood cell that helps your body fight infection”( …show more content…
Treatments are tailored to fit each patient’s needs. The treatment depends on the type of the cancer and features of the cells. It also depends on the patient’s age, symptoms, and general health. Acute Leukemia must be treated immediately. The goal of treatment is to get the cancer into remission. Many people with Leukemia may be cured. The most common treatment of Leukemia is chemotherapy. Bone marrow transplants, Radiation, or biological therapy are also available options. Surgery is also occasionally used. Chemotherapy is a treatment method in which drugs are given to kill off the cancerous cells. One or more drugs may be used depending on the type of Leukemia. IV injection usually gives anti-cancer drugs. Occasionally they are given orally.” Baccarani M, Rosti G, Castagnetti F, et al. A comparison of imatinib 400 mf and 800 mg daily in the first-line treatment of patients with high risk, philadelphia-positive, chronic lymphocytic leukemia. A European Leukemia Net Study, Blood , “2009, vol. 113 (pg. 4497-4504)
Cancer is very dangerous because it can spread to other parts of the body. Cancer cells can be in the blood stream once in the blood stream it can travel through different body systems and shut the whole body down. Once the immune system shutdown the whole body shut down because they need the white blood cells to fight off infections