Leukemia is sometimes discovered during a routine blood test when a patient has no symptoms.
Oncology is the field of medicine devoted to the study and treatment of cancer. Within this field are three primary specialties: medical, surgical or radiation oncology. Cancer patients are usually seen by a health care team that will include oncologists from different disciplines. Some oncologists may choose to further specialize in their field by treating only a small number or even just one type of cancer. One such recognized specialty is leukemia oncology.
Leukemia
Leukemia is cancer that originates in the bone marrow, the spongy material inside the bones that produces all types of blood cells. Leukemia is the abnormal formation of white blood cells, according to the National Cancer Society. Normal white blood cells are part of the body's immune system; they help to fight infection and are integral in the wound healing process. Leukemia cells do not function properly and do not die off as normal blood cells do, meaning that they both interfere with normal functioning and crowd out normal blood cells.
Risk Factors
Currently, the cause of leukemia is unknown; however, there are a number of risk factors that increase a person's chances of developing leukemia. These include: smoking, radiation exposure (including radiation therapy and x-rays), prior chemotherapy, benzene exposure, Down's Syndrome and other inherited diseases. A family history of leukemia may also increase a person's risk slightly, though this is rare, according to the National Cancer Institute.
Symptoms
Because blood travels throughout the body, the symptoms of leukemia are widespread and variable, often depending on how far the disease has progressed. In some instances, a person may not have any symptoms at all, and the leukemia is discovered in a routine blood test. The National Cancer Institute lists the most common symptoms of leukemia as fatigue, swollen lymph nodes, unexplained weight loss, bleeding and bruising easily, and repeated infections.
Treatment Options
Once an individual is diagnosed with leukemia, he will see an oncologist who will set up a team of health care professionals to determine the best treatment options. Treatments may vary depending on the type of leukemia a person has as well as his age and general state of health. Treatment options include watchful waiting (i.e., waiting to see if the leukemia will progress or go into remission on its own), radiation therapy and bone marrow transplant. The National Cancer Institute also lists several different types of drug therapies that may be used, including chemotherapy, which kills leukemia cells, targeted therapy, which uses drugs to block the growth of leukemia cells, and biological therapy drugs, which boost the body's immune system. Often, a combination of treatment options will be used.
Side Effects
With the exception of watchful waiting, all treatment options for leukemia will have side effects, and these are other factors that oncologists must consider when creating a treatment plan. Common side effects of radiation therapy include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and skin irritation. Bone marrow transplants require extended hospitalization as the patient is at increased risk of infection and bleeding following surgery, according to the National Cancer Institute. The most familiar side effects of chemotherapy are nausea, vomiting, hair loss and possible infertility. Targeted therapy may result in swelling, sudden weight gain, anemia, nausea and muscle cramps. Biological therapies can cause fevers, headaches and weakness. Oncologists must treat a patient's cancer while managing the side effects.
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