Leukemia, what is it and how do you treat it?
No one can prepare for being diagnosed with leukemia. If you or someone close to you has been diagnosed with this disease, the first step is researching and identifying the most suitable treatment.
Getting informed, the first step
Leukemia doesn’t just refer to one type of cancer, it encompasses various types of cancer that affect the bone marrow, where blood cells are made. This type of cancer causes:
- Uncontrollable increase of white blood cells
- Impaired production of other blood cells (healthy red blood cells, platelets and mature white blood cells (leukocytes))
- Reduction of normal blood cells
- Cancerous cells can spread to the bloodstream and lymph nodes and travel to other parts of the body, such as the brain, spinal cord, etc. There are two general types, acute leukemia, ALL (progresses rapidly) and chronic leukemia, CLL, (progresses more slowly).
Acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL)
This type of cancer occurs when there is rapid and abundant growth of a type of white blood cell called lymphoblasts. Abnormal lymphoblasts grow rapidly and replace normal cells in the bone marrow. This type of leukemia generally affects children between the ages of 3 and 7, but can also affect adults.
Causes
For the most part, there is no evident cause for ALL, but the following factors may be related to the development of all types of leukemia:
- Certain chromosomal problems
- Exposure to radiation, including X rays before birth
- Previous treatment using chemotherapeutic drugs
- Receiving a bone marrow transplant
- Toxins like benzene
The following factors are known to increase the getting of ALL:
- Down Syndrome or other genetic disorders
- Sibling with leukemia
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)
This type of leukemia causes an increase in certain white blood cells known as B lymphocytes or B cells. The cancerous cells spread through the bloodstream to the bone marrow, and can affect the lymph nodes or other organs such as the liver or spleen. CLL can eventually cause the bone marrow to stop functioning.
This type of leukemia generally affects older adults, especially those over 60. It is more common in men than in women. With chronic lymphocytic leukemia, the most common chronic leukemia among adults, it is possible that the patient shows no symptoms of discomfort for years.
Causes
Exposure to Agent Orange during the Vietnam War has been linked to a slightly increased risk of CLL.
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML)
People with AML have a greater number of immature abnormal cells in their bone marrow that multiply rapidly and aggressively, replacing healthy blood cells. As a result, people with AML are prone to infections and have an increased risk of bleeding as they have a lower amount of healthy blood cells.
AML is one of the most common types of cancer among adults (though it also affects children) and is more common in men than women. Acute myeloid leukemia is a the most common type of acute leukemia among adults.
Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML)
CML causes an uncontrollable increase in immature and mature cells that form a certain type of white blood cell called myeloid cells. The unhealthy cells accumulate in the bone marrow and in the blood.
This type of leukemia is most common in middle-aged adults and in children. A person that suffers from chronic myeloid leukemia shows very few symptoms or none at all during the first months or years before entering a stage where the leukemia cells grow more rapidly.
Cause
The cause of CML is linked to a chromosomal anomaly called Philadelphia. Exposure to radiation can increase the risk of developing CML.
Treatments
In order to start any type of treatment, your doctor has to define the type of leukemia you have. The treatment plans for this disease vary depending on the type of leukemia. Here are 6 general therapies that have shown effective results in treating leukemia:
Chemotherapy
Through the use of specific medication (oral or intravenous), it aims to destroy or control the accelerated growth of cancerous cells according to the type of leukemia in the body. The medication used during chemotherapy can affect some normal cells in the body, which can cause side effects such as:
- Hair loss
- Mouth ulcers
- Loss of appetite
- Nausea and vomiting
- Diarrhea or constipation
- Increased risk of infections (due to a lack of normal white blood cells)
- Bruising or bleeding easily (due to a lack of platelets)
- Fatigue and difficulty breathing (due to a lack of red blood cells)
- There are ways to reduce the side effects, such as medication to prevent or reduce nausea and vomiting, or it can be combined with other treatments like CBD (more on that later). If you have side effects you must consult with your doctor so that they can be treated as needed.
Biological Therapy
Biological therapy works through treatments that help the immune system to recognize and attack leukemia cells. New biological therapies are employed, such as the use of different monoclonal antibodies, like alemtuzumab or rituximab.
Rituximab for example, is a protein (monoclonal antibody) that binds to a specific region of B lymphocytes, which are cells that make up part of the organism´s defense system. In lymphoma, abnormal B lymphocytes are produced, rituximab binds to one of these abnormal B lymphocytes and destroys it, acting as an alternative to leukemia treatment in cases where chemotherapy is ineffective.
Targeted Therapy
Targeted therapy uses medication that attack specific weaknesses in cancerous cells. For example, the medication, imatinib (Gleevec) attacks the protein in leukemia cells in people with chronic myelogenous leukemia, which can help control the disease.
Radiotherapy
Radiotherapy uses X rays and or other high energy rays to damage the leukemia cells and hinder their growth. During radiotherapy, the patient lies down on a bed while a machine moves around them and directs radiation to specific part of the body.
Radiation can be used to target a specific part of the body where there is an accumulation of leukemia cells, or the whole body. Radiotherapy can also be used in preparation for a stem cell transplant.
Stem cell transplant
A stem cell transplant is a process to replace the unhealthy bone marrow with healthy bone marrow. Prior to a stem cell transplant, patients receive high doses of chemotherapy or radiotherapy to destroy the unhealthy bone marrow. Then, they receive a transfusion of blood-forming stem cells that help to reconstruct the bone marrow.
Stem cells can come from a donor, or in some cases, the patient’s own stem cells can be used. A stem cell transplant is very similar to a bone marrow transplant.
Cannabis
This plant has various components that affect the body in different ways. One of its components is Cannabidiol (CBD), which can help with a range of illnesses, from seizures, to Alzheimer’s, Parkinsons and different types of cancer.
One way in which the cannabinoids can interfere with cancerous cells, is through a process called apoptosis. This is a natural function of the human body in which the organism itself causes a programmed death of cells, as part of its natural development.
The use of cannabinoids has been proven to promote anticancer activity, but in combination with other therapies (such as chemotherapy), it has shown even more powerful effects against cancerous cells in the case of leukemia. For this reason, active components in the cannabis plant will play an important role in the future of cancer treatment.
*Always check to see if it is legal in your jurisdiction before obtaining any cannabis-based product.
These therapies are all alternatives to consider. Remember to always consult with your doctor first to discuss treatment options. The more informed you are about leukemia, the more confident you will be in your decision.
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