With leukemia, abnormal white blood cells (WBCs) grow and divide uncontrollably, replacing typical WBCs. This can affect many parts of the body, such as blood, bones, and the immune system.
Leukemia is a type of cancer that causes the bone marrow to produce abnormal blood cells. The disease can affect any type of blood cell, but most commonly affects WBCs that help protect against infection and illness.
This article outlines the various ways in which leukemia may affect the body, as well as a person’s day-to-day life. We also describe what leukemia is, including the different types.
How does leukemia affect the blood?
Leukemia leads to the rapid and significant production of abnormal blood cells, typically WBCs.
An excess of abnormal blood cells makes it more difficult for the bone marrow to produce other critical types of blood cells, such as red blood cells and platelets. This lack of red blood cells or platelets can lead to body aches and symptoms of anemia, or severe bruising and bleeding.
A person may experience bone pain as their bone marrow becomes overcrowded by the growth of cancer cells. People most often feel this pain in the long bones of the legs and arms, or in the ribs and sternum.
Sometimes, a person may experience pain due to a mass of cancer cells forming near the nerves of the spinal cord.
Rarely, leukemia may weaken bones to the extent of causing bone fractures. This is more common in weight bearing bones, such as the:
- pelvis
- spine
- thighbone
WBCs play an
Leukemia typically affects WBCs, causing the bone marrow to produce abnormal WBCs that cannot fight infections as they should. This impairs the immune system, putting the body at increased risk of developing severe infections and illnesses.
In leukemia, it is possible for cancer cells to infiltrate blood vessels, causing issues such as ischemic cardiac disease, which is also called coronary artery disease (CAD). This is where the heart does not receive an adequate supply of blood and oxygen.
Additionally, certain medications used to treat leukemia may increase the risk of heart failure. Drugs called anthracyclines are the standard therapy for acute types of leukemia. These types progress rapidly, so they require more aggressive treatment. However, receiving high doses of anthracyclines over a short period increases their toxicity.
Muscle weakness is another condition that can affect people with leukemia. Unfortunately, it is often one of the
Source: Medical News Today
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