Word Finder - leukemias

definition

A type of malignancy affecting the blood cells or blood-forming tissues.

definition

Any specific form or type of cancer of the blood-forming tissues.

example

The subjects suffered from lymphoblastic and myeloid leukemias.

Other lymphomas and leukemias have been associated with a less intense but more generalized pruritus.

Leukemias and lymphomas are cancers of the blood and lymph glands.

Cancer of the kidneys, ovaries, uterus, pancreas, bladder, rectum, and the leukemias and lymphomas are among the 12 major cancers affecting Americans of all ages.

Depending on their characteristics, leukemias can be divided into two broad types.

Acute leukemias are the rapidly progressing leukemias, while the chronic leukemias progress more slowly.

The vast majority of the childhood leukemias are of the acute form.

In acute leukemias, the maturation process of the white blood cells is interrupted.

Different types of white blood cells are involved in the two leukemias.

The B cell leukemias are more common than T cell leukemias.

However, leukemias affect nine times as many adults as children.

The incidence of acute and chronic leukemias is about the same.

The human T-cell leukemia virus (HTLV-I) is believed to be the causative agent for some kinds of leukemias.

However, as of 2004, the cause of most leukemias is not known.

Having a history of diseases that damage the bone marrow, such as aplastic anemia, or a history of cancers of the lymphatic system puts people at a high risk for developing acute leukemias.

Similarly, the use of anticancer medications, immunosuppressants, and the antibiotic chloramphenicol are also considered risk factors for developing acute leukemias.

Like all cancers, acute leukemias are most successfully treated when found early.

Because leukemia cells can spread to all the organs via the blood stream and the lymph vessels, surgery is not considered an option for treating leukemias.

For acute leukemias, the source of radiation is usually outside the body (external radiation therapy).

Acute myelocytic leukemia (AML) has a poorer prognosis rate than acute lymphocytic leukemias (ALL) and the chronic leukemias.

Interestingly enough, since most childhood leukemias are of the ALL type, chemotherapy has been highly successful in their treatment.

However, in leukemias, there are as of 2004 no such known risk factors.

Therefore, as of 2004, no way is known to prevent leukemias from developing.

There are many types of leukemias and they are classified according to the type of white blood cell involved.

Most of these are cancers of the lymphoid tissues (leukemias and lymphomas), but one fifth of the cancers occur in the stomach, brain, ovary, skin, liver, larynx, parotid gland, and breast.

Unlike acute leukemias, in which the process of maturation of the blast cells is interrupted, in chronic leukemias, the cells do mature and only a few remain as immature cells.

Chronic leukemias develop very gradually.

The two types of chronic leukemias can be easily distinguished under the microscope.

Chronic myeloid leukemias are generally seen in people in their mid-40s.

There are no screening tests available for chronic leukemias.

For chronic leukemias, the source of radiation is usually outside the body (external radiation therapy).

However, in leukemias, there were as of 2004 no known risk factors.

Therefore, as of 2004, there was no way known to prevent the leukemias from developing.

The term variable applies to this range of possible complications, which also includes gastrointestinal disorders as well as certain cancers, such as lymphomas and leukemias.