2. Leukemia is cancer of the blood. There are many types of
leukemia, but there is a specific one that the cancer starts with the
white blood cells from the bone marrow which is Acute
Lymphoblastic Leukemia (A.L.L.). In A.L.L, the bone marrow
makes cells that normally would develop into lymphocytes.
However, the cells are abnormal. They do not develop and cannot
fight infections. The number of abnormal cells grow quickly. They
crowd out the normal red blood cells, white blood cells and
platelets the body needs.

3. No one really knows what causes A.L.L, but
there are some factors that might increase
your risk of getting it. Some risk factors are
radiation exposure, exposure to benzene,
smoking and alcohol, genetic conditions, past
chemotherapy, viruses, electromagnetic fields,
being overweight, paint exposure, and
weakened immunity.

4. Acute lymphoblastic leukemia is very rare in
adults. About 7,600 people are diagnosed with
leukemia each year in the UK. Of these, only
about 650 people have acute lymphoblastic
leukemia. About half the cases are in adults
and half in children. A.L.L is the most
common type of leukemia in children.

5. Like every problem in our body A.L.L has
symptoms too. A.L.L has some what lots of
symptoms. Like "General weakness or feeling
tired, High temperature, weight loss, frequent
infections, bruising or bleeding easily, blood
in your urine or stools, pain in the bones or
joints, a fine rash of dark red spots,
breathlessness, swollen lymph glands, a
feeling of fullness or discomfort in the tummy
from a swollen liver or spleen."

6. There is still no cure for it but there is a treatment
to stop it from spreading and getting worse. If the
doctor detects it to late and it has spread through
out your body then there is nothing the doctor can
do about it. If the doctor detects it early then you
can be able to treat it. Some treatments can be
chemotherapy, steroids, radiation therapy,
intensive combined treatments (including bone
marrow or stem cell transplants), and growth
factors. A bone marrow biopsy is to see how many
abnormal white blood cells you have.

7. “Bone marrow
aspiration and
biopsy. After a small
area of skin is
numbed
Jamshidi(biopsy)
needle is inserted
into the patient’s hip
bone. Samples of
blood, bone, and
bone marrow are
removed for
examination under a
microscope.” Bone
marrow is repeated
in a person to see
how their treatment
is coming along.

8. Standards

9. Even though there is no proof that leukemia is
hereditary, some people are saying it is. I was
reading on a website were people answered
the question “Is Leukemia hereditary
disease?” One of the guys that answered said
“I also starting to believe its hereditary, My
grandpa had it, Now I just found out my dad
has it too.”

10. Leukemia really weakens the immune system.
The cancer cells in the body start attacking the
healthy blood cells and it’s how the immune
system gets weaker. You have to be careful on
the places you go, the people who you are
around, & you can easily get sick.

11. •Davis, Michael K. "Leukemia." DrTummy.com. 05 July
2009. Michael K. Davis. 20 Nov. 2011.
<http://www.drtummy.com/index.php?option=com_co
ntent>.
•“Acute lymphoblastic leukemia.” Wikipedia. 28 November
2011
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acute_lymphoblastic_leuke
mia>.
•“Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL).” Be The Match.
National Marrow Donor Program. 20 November 2011.
<http://marrow.org/Patient/Disease_and_Treatment/A
bout_Your_Disease/ALL/Acute_Lymphoblastic_Leuke
mia_%28ALL%29.aspx>
•“Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia symptoms.”
CancerHelp UK. 20 August 2010. Cancer Research UK.
<http://cancerhelp.cancerresearchuk.org/type/all/about
/acute-lymphoblastic-leukaemia-symptoms>

12. •“Is Leukemia hereditary disease?” SteadyHealth.com. 27
November 2011.
<http://www.steadyhealth.com/Is_Leukemia_hereditary_dise
ase__t53846.html>
•“Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia Treatment (PDQ®).”
Memorial Regional Cancer Center. 30 October 2009.
Memorial Hospital & Health Center. 27 November 2011.
<http://www.qualityoflife.org/cancer/patientinfo/list/summa
ry/?id=CDR258006>
•sunnyinSD. L_Claflin. “How does leukemia affect the immune
system?” 15 September 2010. Caring.com. 27 November 2011.
< http://www.caring.com/questions/how-does-leukemia-
affect-the-immune-system>

13. http://www.drtummy.com/index.php?option=com_content&amp;view=article&amp;id=512:leukemia&amp;catid=49:headers&amp;Itemid=57
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acute_lymphoblastic_leukemia 11/20/2011
http://marrow.org/Patient/Disease_and_Treatment/About_Your_Disease/ALL/Acute_Lymphoblastic_Leukemia_%28ALL%29.aspx
http://cancerhelp.cancerresearchuk.org/type/all/about/acute-lymphoblastic-leukaemia-symptoms 11/20/2011
http://www.steadyhealth.com/Is_Leukemia_hereditary_disease__t53846.html 11/27/2011
http://www.qualityoflife.org/cancer/patientinfo/list/summary/?id=CDR258006 11/27/2011
http://www.qualityoflife.org/cancer/patientinfo/list/summary/?id=CDR258006 11/27/2011