What is childhood leukemia?

Leukemia is the name given to blood cell cancers, specifically that of white blood cells or leukocytes. blood is made up of red blood cells (red blood cells), white blood cells (leukocytes), and platelets.

blood cells form in the bone marrow, which is the soft, spongy part of the bones. The new cells that make up the bone marrow are called blasts and are immature cells. The body produces blood cells in a moderate way, as needed. But when a child has leukemia their marrow produces inordinate immature leukocytes that do not perform their defense function properly.

Types of leukemia

Leukemias can be classified into function of its development:

• Acute: the disease progresses rapidly.
• Chronic: the disease gradually worsens.

They can also be classified into function of the type of leukocyte affected:

• Lymphocytic leukemia
• Myeloid leukemia (one type like another can be, in turn, acute or chronic).

Leukemia symptoms

Leukocytes that are produced in excess are diseased, abnormal cells that cannot fulfill their function: to fight infections. It is for this reason that children with leukemia have frequent fevers and infections. In turn, red blood cells and platelets may be scarce or not work well, so it is common for leukemia to be accompanied by anemia and clotting problems (bleeding).

The most common symptoms of leukemia are:

• Fever
• Weakness or fatigue
• Frequent infections
• Weightloss
• Lymphadenopathy
• Bleeding

How is it diagnosed?

To diagnose leukemia the Pediatrician must carry out an exhaustive physical exploration, a blood test where blood cells are examined under a microscope.

If leukemia is suspected, a bone marrow aspiration puncture or a bone marrow biopsy. In some cases it is also necessary to make a lumbar puncture to rule out the presence of leukemic cells in the cerebrospinal fluid.

Treatment for childhood leukemia

Is a long and complex treatment and the type of drugs to be used depend on the type of leukemia, its severity and age. They are very aggressive treatments that kill cancer cells but also damage healthy cells; they have many side effects. These treatments include radiation therapy, chemotherapy, bone marrow transplantation, and removal of the spleen. But, apart from these treatments, they are also necessary antibiotics powerful to fight infection, blood or plasma transfusions and a good nutrition program.

Radiotherapy

Radiation therapy was used in conjunction with chemotherapy and uses high intensity rays to destroy cancer cells. It can be localized or general radiation to the whole body. In cases of total radiation, they are given before a bone marrow transplant.

The most common side effect is tiredness or fatigue after the radiation therapy session. There may also be a skin reaction in the treated area, nausea, vomiting, and anorexia (loss of appetite). If radiation is given to the testicles, it causes sterility.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy consists of the use of drugs that kill cancer cells. Children usually receive more than one medicine and they are distributed in several batches or cycles. They can be taken for orally or intravenously. If the central nervous system is involved, intrathecal chemotherapy (directly injected into the cerebrospinal fluid) should be given through an injection in the lower spine.

The most frequent side effects are: infertility, alopecia, vomiting, withdrawal of menstruation.

Bone marrow transplant

The objective of bone marrow transplantation is to replace the diseased bone marrow with a healthy one from the donor or the patient's own, depending on the type of leukemia. To carry out this procedure, the sick child's bone marrow must be destroyed in order to inject the healthy marrow. Children who undergo this process should be isolated in special rooms to protect yourself from infection until the transplanted bone marrow start working properly.

In some cases, the patient can reject the donor marrow at any time during the transplant.

Surgery to remove the spleen (splenectomy)