Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia

GENERAL INFORMATION:

What is it?

• Acute lymphocytic (lim-foh-SI-tik) leukemia (loo-KEE-mee-ah) is also called acute lymphoblastic (lim-foh-BLAS-tik) leukemia or ALL. Leukemia is cancer of blood cells. Blood is made up of plasma (liquid) and blood cells. Red blood cells (RBCs) carry oxygen to the cells of the body and take away wastes, like carbon dioxide. Platelets help your blood clot when you are cut or hurt. WBCs help fight infection (in-FEK-shun) in the body.
  
  
• The blood cells are made in the bone marrow. Bone marrow is the soft, spongy center of bones. Normally, blood cells are made in an orderly way as the body needs them. When a person has ALL, more lymphocytes (one type of WBC) are made than the body needs. These lymphocytes are diseased (not normal).
  
  
• The diseased lymphocytes look different from normal lymphocytes and are called lymphoblasts (leukemia cells). Lymphoblasts are immature (have not grown fully) and do not work like normal lymphocytes. Lymphoblasts gather in the blood, bone marrow, lymph glands, spinal cord, brain and other organs. The lymphoblasts crowd out the other types of blood cells. Because of too many lymphoblasts, the bone marrow cannot make enough RBCs, platelets, and normal WBCs. This causes your whole body to become sick.

• You have been exposed to high amounts of radiation (ray-dee-AY-shun), or certain medicines or chemicals.
  
  
• You are a child who is 10 years old or younger. You are an adult over 50 years old.
  
  
• You were born with a condition called Down syndrome.
  
  
• You have a brother or sister with leukemia.

• You may have low energy. You may feel tired, dizzy, or weak. You may look paler than normal. You may have shortness of breath when you exercise.
  
  
• You may have bleeding problems. You may have:
  
  
  • Bruising.
    
    
  • Bleeding from your gums, nose, or into your skin. You may have blood in your bowel movements (BMs) or urine.
    
    
  • Tiny, red-spotted rash called petechia (pe-TEE-kee-ah).
    
    
  • Menstrual (monthly) periods that are not normal.
    
    
  • Bleeding that takes longer to stop. When you get a cut or injury, you may bleed longer or more than usual.
  
  
• You may feel pain or discomfort. You may have:
  
  
  • Bone or joint pain.
    
    
  • Spleen or liver (organs inside your abdomen) that grow larger than normal. This may cause abdominal (belly) pain or discomfort.
    
    
  • Headaches.
    
    
  • Fever for no known reason.
    
    
  • Large lymph nodes. These feel like lumps on your neck, in your armpits, or around your collarbone.
    
    
  • Vomiting (throwing up) or trouble eating. You may lose weight without trying.
    
    
  • Very fast or fluttering (irregular) heartbeat.
  
  
• You may get more infections (in-FEK-shuns). You may get colds and infections that do not get better or keep coming back.

• ALL should be treated as soon as possible. Caregivers will try to make your ALL go into remission (ree-MISH-un). Remission means that you no longer have signs of leukemia. It means you have the right amount of RBCs, platelets, and normal WBCs.
  
  
• Chemotherapy (kee-moh-THER-ah-pee) or "chemo" is the main treatment for ALL. Chemo is strong medicine that kills your cancer cells and keeps them from growing. Usually three or more different chemo medicines are used together to treat ALL. You may also need radiation (high amounts of x-rays). Many children may be cured or have long remissions. It is more common for adults to get ALL again, even after treatment.
  
  
• If you get ALL again, you may get chemo again. You may also get a bone marrow or blood stem cell transplant. Stem cells normally live in the bone marrow. Stem cells are the part of the bone marrow that actually make RBCs, platelets, and WBCs. A bone marrow or blood stem cell transplant may help your body make normal blood cells.

• American Cancer Society
  Phone: 1-800-227-2345
  Web Address: http://www.cancer.org
  

• National Cancer Institute
  Phone: 1-800-422-6237
  Web Address: http://www.cancer.gov
  

• The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Inc.
  1311 Mamaroneck Avenue
  White Plains, NY 10605
  Phone: 1-914-949-5213
  Phone: 1-800-955-4572
  Web Address: http://www.leukemia-lymphoma.org