In the minds of an ordinary person, cancer is closely interconnected with the formation of a primary tumor focus in the body, which directly threatens his life and its duration. However, in some cases, pathological processes do not manifest themselves clearly, even if they are already widely spreading throughout tissues and organs. For example, myeloid leukemia is dangerous for this reason.

The pathology of hematopoietic structures is characterized by difficulty in diagnosing, as well as an uncontrolled increase in the number of mutated cells. Gradually, the number of healthy elements decreases, and infection affects more and more tissues and organs.

Main reasons

To date, experts have not definitively established the root causes of the formation of AML. Therefore, it is quite difficult to judge unambiguously what exactly prompted the failure and how it will affect the survival time.

However, negative predisposing factors have been identified that can significantly shorten the remaining years. The latter include:

• a person has myelodysplastic or myeloproliferative syndromes;
• chemotherapy courses the person has undergone;
• exposure to ionizing radiation;
• congenital genetic mutations;
• the presence of biological mutagens in a woman at the time of pregnancy.

Hereditary predisposition to myeloblastic leukemia is also of great importance; the prognosis in this case worsens significantly. If a blood relative had a similar cancer, it is highly likely to manifest itself in subsequent generations.

Types of myeloblastic leukemia and prognosis

In most cases, when using the terms “chronic” and “acute” we are talking about stages of the same pathology. Based on this, experts judge the prognosis. However, in the case of myeloblastic leukemia, this is not possible. These are 2 different types of oncological processes in the blood system, with their own causes of occurrence, mechanisms of formation, symptoms and prognosis.

Thus, the acute form of myeloid leukemia is a lesion of the myeloid blood lineage by a malignant oncological process. It is characterized by uncontrolled and very rapid division of mutated cells. This has an extremely negative impact on the well-being of the cancer patient and quickly exhausts his ability to resist cancer. Death can occur literally in 1-2 months.

Such a lesion can occur in people of different age groups and social security. However, the disease is more often diagnosed in older people.

The main difference between the chronic version of myeloblastic leukemia is that after uncontrolled division in the bone marrow structures, the mutated cells enter the bloodstream. It is this fact that determines a more favorable course of the pathology, and the survival prognosis is somewhat improved. The age category of cancer patients also differs - the disease is diagnosed more often at 35-55 years of age.

Symptoms in relation to prognosis

The pathology has many clinical manifestations. However, there are no specific symptoms as such. This aggravates the situation, since late diagnosis does not allow us to talk about recovery. Symptoms directly depend on the age and at what stage of the cancer process the pathology was detected.

In most cases, patients complain that they are bothered by an increase in temperature parameters and persistent pain impulses in the bones. In addition, there are:

• increasing weakness and increased fatigue;
• the skin becomes cyanotic;
• there is practically no appetite;
• severe shortness of breath develops;
• dyspeptic disorders - nausea, vomiting, alternation of constipation with diarrhea, increased flatulence;
• unpleasant discomfort, heaviness in the hypochondrium;
• increased parameters of the spleen and liver;
• pain impulses in all groups of joints.

All of the above undermines a person’s reserves of strength, he lacks the desire to fight the tumor, and survival times are reduced many times over. And since, against the background of damage to blood germs, the number of platelets also decreases sharply, cancer patients will have a tendency to prolonged bleeding, up to a diffuse variant, leading to death.

Such varied symptoms are due to the fact that all tissues and organs receive blood with mutated cells contained in it. They infiltrate into healthy tissues, followed by the formation of multiple tumor foci.

Modern diagnostic methods help put everything in its place and carry out adequate differential diagnosis, as well as decide whether myeloblastic leukemia can be cured.

What's the forecast?

Pathology can successfully disguise itself as many other diseases, which makes its timely detection very difficult. And this, of course, worsens the prognosis for the life of a cancer patient.

Acute myeloid leukemia and the prognosis of life with it are influenced by practically uncontrollable factors such as the age of the cancer patient and the stage at which the disease was detected.

This type of pathology never goes away on its own. But adequate treatment measures can significantly prolong a person’s life, as well as significantly improve the prognosis.

Additional prognostically unfavorable factors include the following:

• formed splenomegaly;
• failure in the activity of central nervous system structures;
• multiple lesions of lymph nodes;
• patient's age category is more than 65-75 years;
• significant depression of blood parameters;
• the person has other cancer pathologies;
• lack of a positive reaction to the ongoing treatment measures.

No oncologist can give an accurate prognosis about life expectancy with diagnosed myeloblastic leukemia. Malignant lesions of the hematopoietic system are quite unpredictable. They can recur even with established long-term remission.

If the pathology is amenable to chemotherapy, then complications or relapse can be delayed by 5-7 years. Therefore, it is so important to contact specialists at the slightest deterioration in health for early diagnosis of cancer. With a significant amount of mature blood elements and well-designed therapy, the chances of achieving a long period of remission increase.

How to prolong life with acute myeloblastic leukemia

If more than two years have passed after chemotherapy courses (at least 3-5 sessions), we are talking about stable remission. If more than 5 years have passed and there are no signs of a return of symptoms of cancer, then there is every chance of curing the disease.

Timely bone marrow replacement helps to achieve the most positive prognosis for survival. After such a procedure, a cancer patient can live more than 10-15 years. However, among the disadvantages of the technique, it is necessary to point out the high cost and complexity of its implementation. Not all cancer patients have such opportunities.

The patient’s close relatives and friends provide additional strength to fight such a terrible pathology for every person. Psychological assistance is also provided throughout the treatment by the medical staff of specialized clinics. Psychologists help a person accept his diagnosis and understand that life does not end there, that he must gather all his strength and fight hard.

A person’s lifestyle and the general initial state of their immune barriers have a huge impact on the speed of the oncological process.

To help your body overcome the disease, it is recommended to adhere to the following principles:

• between chemotherapy courses, strive for the healthiest lifestyle possible - give up all existing negative habits, for example, the use of tobacco and alcohol products;
• try to spend more time in the fresh air, for example, walk twice a day for several hours in the nearest forest park;
• adjust your diet - it should be dominated by plant foods, always a variety of vegetables and fruits;
• take modern vitamin complexes - the best option will be recommended by your doctor;
• to activate your own immune barriers, you will also need to take immunomodulators, as well as hepatoprotectors - to protect against the negative effects of cytostatics;
• follow all the recommendations of your attending physician - independent changes in the frequency or duration of pharmacotherapy are absolutely unacceptable.

If the course of myeloid leukemia is not accompanied by severe complications, and the diagnosis was made at an early stage of the formation of oncological pathology, recovery can be predicted for the person.

24.10.2018

Oncological diseases are not always malignant tumors. But among them there are also those who do not have tumor-like symptoms.

This pathology is described in this article. It's called myeloblastic leukemia. What it is, how it manifests itself, and most importantly, how long they live with it – we’ll look at it in the article.

Acute myeloblastic leukemia (AML) is a cancer of the circulatory system. It is characterized by active reproduction of forms of immature leukocytes that do not perform their function. The spinal cord produces myeloid cells, which are abnormal to the body.

The pathology is localized in the blood and bone marrow. As oncology develops, malignant cells prevent the emergence of healthy cells, which causes the systems and organs of the patient’s body to become infected. The pathology has names: acute myeloid leukemia, acute non-lymphoblastic leukemia, acute myelocytic leukemia.

Causes of acute leukemia

It is difficult to name the factors for the development of pathology. Scientists put forward a number of assumptions that contain possible causes of the disease:

• Previous chemotherapy. If it was less than five years ago, then the risk of leukemia increases.
• Ionizing radiation.
• The influence of biological substances leading to mutations in a woman’s body during childbirth or pregnancy.
• Pathologies that contribute to the development of leukemia in the hematopoietic system are myelodysplastic or myeloproliferative syndrome. The form of the syndrome plays a role, affecting the increase and decrease in risk.
• Congenital changes in the fetus at the genetic level. Down syndrome is dangerous, in which the occurrence of leukemia increases 10-18 times.
• Genetic inheritance. Provided that someone close to the patient had the disease, there is a risk that the pathology will manifest itself in a relative.

Symptoms of myeloblastic leukemia

Symptoms appear depending on the age of the patient and the form of the disease. Basically, the main symptoms are bone pain and fever.

An anemic syndrome develops, in which frequent fatigue is felt, accompanied by loss of appetite, shortness of breath and pale skin. And due to a decrease in platelet levels, bleeding when the skin is damaged will be prolonged and severe.

Nosebleeds or unnecessary bruising are possible. For this reason, the resistance of the immune system weakens, causing infectious diseases to worsen, and chronic ones to react more resistant to drugs. Swelling of the gums and injuries to the oral mucosa from exposure appear.

Diagnosis and treatment

It is impossible to make a diagnosis based on symptoms, therefore, for acute myeloid leukemia, the patient must undergo a blood test (general and biochemical).

Additionally, undergo an ultrasound and x-ray to clarify the condition of the organs. To clarify treatment methods, urine analysis and echocardiography will help.

Light microscopy and flow cytomery can help distinguish AML from other blood problems. The patient undergoes cytochemistry and cytostatics of the bone marrow and leukocytes contained in the blood.

The treatment used is chemotherapy, which is combined with basic treatment methods - blood purification, therapeutic diet and exercise. Chemotherapy is used as a preventive measure for neuroleukemia, carried out through endolumbar administration. As a preventive measure, remote gamma therapy, which affects the brain, is often used.

In this case, chemotherapy is carried out in two stages, the main objectives of which are to establish a stable state of remission and destroy the remaining malignant cells. At the first stage, the antibiotic daunrubicin, cytarabine or an antacycline antibiotic is used.

When recovery is already stable, the second stage is introduced into the process, without which the risk of relapse is high. In this case, 2 to 5 courses of additional chemotherapy are prescribed, and in some cases, stem cell transplantation.

Prognosis of acute leukemia

What makes it difficult to detect pathology in a timely manner is that it can be confused with other diseases. This delays treatment and worsens the prognosis. The disease affects the myeloid lineage, the part of the bone marrow that generates white blood cells. It most often affects children and infants, mainly up to seven years of age or during adolescence, and ranks second in the prevalence of cancer in young patients. The main share falls mainly on boys.

In 75% of cases, complete and accurate treatment leads to remission. But if blood cancer has already been present for a long time, then healing in most cases will be impossible, and only palliative treatment is used. Stem cell transplantation helps increase the chances of a full recovery, but it has contraindications and is unacceptable in some cases.

Acute myeloblastic leukemia is chronic in nature, the life prognosis is somewhat worse - survival rate is up to 7 years. During the blast crisis, deaths are observed, and cytostatic therapy is used as emergency treatment measures.

Acute processes in such cases are blocked better than chronic oncology.

The survival rate for children with an early stage of pathology and its timely diagnosis is about 95%. In this case, stable remission without relapses is observed. The chronic form has an unfavorable prognosis for cancer patients.

The mortality rate is high, and the life expectancy of patients is months, but not years. For a more accurate prediction in acute myeloid leukemia, it is necessary to take into account the gender, age and general condition of the patient.

Life expectancy with leukemia

Any doctor in the medical community will tell you that early diagnosis of cancer pathologies is the foundation for effective treatment.

But here it is worth considering one nuance: basically, the manifestation of primary symptoms occurs at stages with a significant term of the disease. This means that it can take three months from the first symptom to death.

In children, compared to adults, survival rate for acute myeloblastic cancer is 15% higher, which is associated with the characteristics of a young organism, lifestyle and immune system.

A blast crisis and a sharp exacerbation of a malignant process are some of the terrible things to be wary of. If oncological conditions appear, it means that the therapy process was chosen unsuccessfully, does not produce results for another reason, and the pathology enters the chronic phase.

How to extend lifespan?

Compliance with the following rules will help prolong the patient’s life:

• It is necessary to strengthen the immune system with a course of vitamins and immunomodulators. This activates the body's resistance.
• Block the side effects of cytotoxic drugs with a course of anti-inflammatory drugs.
• Carry out chemotherapy in several stages, sequentially and without deviations from the recipe and instructions.
• Perform stem cell and bone marrow transplantation. This surgical procedure is complex and expensive, but it is completely worth it because it has the most favorable prognosis - in 90% of cases, five-year patient survival is guaranteed.

As a result, it should be said that acute myeloblastic leukemia has a favorable prognosis and is treatable in most cases, and the length of further life mainly depends on the type of disease, the individual characteristics of the patient and various factors.

On average, 70% of patients survive for five years, and relapses occur in no more than 35% of cases. With complications (chronic form, exacerbations), survival rate drops to 15%, and relapses, on the contrary, increase and can reach 75%.

Oncological diseases of the blood are classified as life-threatening diseases. One of these pathologies is acute myeloblastic leukemia, the prognosis of which directly depends on early diagnosis. Older people over 65 years of age are more susceptible to the disease. The pathology is characterized by an acute course and difficulty of detection at the initial stage.

Description of the pathology

Acute myeloid leukemia - this disease is also called leukemia, in which a malignant change occurs in the meyloid lineage of the blood. Modified blood cells are capable of rapid reproduction and very quickly displace healthy cells, spreading throughout the human body. Unlike the chronic form, the acute form has a more unfavorable prognosis.

When the disease occurs, pathological blood cells cannot perform all the functions intended for them, resulting in malfunctions in the functioning of all human organs and tissues. The pathology is extremely difficult to diagnose at the initial stage. The determining factor for successful treatment is early diagnosis.

Causes of pathology

Like any cancer, leukemia can develop in anyone, regardless of gender and age. Scientists have not yet determined the mechanism of development of these diseases, but doctors believe that there is a certain risk group, which includes people with the following factors:

• Genetic predisposition.
• Postponed chemotherapy.
• Living in environmentally unfavorable areas.
• Congenital genetic pathologies.
• Drug abuse.
• Chronic toxic poisoning of the body.
• Oncogenic viruses.
• Exposure to radiation.

Particular attention to their health should be paid to people in whose families this pathology has already been observed. With a high degree of probability, pathology may manifest itself in subsequent generations. Such patients are advised to undergo regular testing for AML.

Symptoms of pathology

Acute myeloid leukemia has no characteristic symptoms. It can go completely unnoticed in the early stages. As the number of healthy blood cells decreases, the patient may experience the following abnormalities:

• Paleness of the skin.
• Chronic fatigue.
• Increased bleeding.
• Bone pain.
• Decreased immunity.
• Sudden unexplained weight loss.

These symptoms may indicate other abnormalities in the body; for this reason, patients do not always consult a doctor, attributing the malaise to a cold, fatigue, vitamin deficiency and other non-life-threatening conditions. Typically, the disease is diagnosed when there is a sharp rise in temperature, at which point the patient calls a doctor or emergency help. It is impossible to determine leukemia by external signs; the diagnosis is made only based on the results of tests and other diagnostic procedures.

Symptoms in children may differ significantly from those in adults. The child must be seen by a doctor if he or she experiences the following changes:

• Decreased memory, absent-mindedness.
• Constant weakness and apathy.
• Pale skin and lack of appetite.
• Lack of desire to play with peers.
• Frequent colds.
• Frequent unreasonable temperature fluctuations.
• Pain in the limbs.
• Unsteady gait.
• Pain in the navel area.

If the disease is not detected in the early stages, the child may die within a few weeks after the onset of leukemia. For this reason, a child should have a blood test done if any of the above-described ailments occur. In this case, time is not a healer, but a killer. Particular attention should be paid to children aged 3 to 6 years. It is during this period that the risk of cell degeneration is high.

Diagnosis of pathology

Diagnosis of the disease includes the following series of procedures:

• Blood test (general, biochemical).
• Flow cytometry and microscopy.
• Ultrasound of internal organs.
• X-ray.

Most often, making a diagnosis is not difficult, especially if the disease has already progressed and the bulk of healthy blood cells have been destroyed. In this case, the patient is prescribed treatment, before which he must undergo a series of examinations to assess the functioning of the heart, brain, nervous system and internal organs.

Treatment of pathology

The main treatment for leukemia in adults and children is chemotherapy, which destroys pathological cancer cells. The course of treatment is divided into two stages. The first stage is aimed at destroying cancer cells by taking certain groups of drugs. The second stage is the prevention of relapse of the disease and may include various techniques, including stem cell transplantation. The duration of therapy can be up to 2 years.

Side effects often occur when undergoing chemotherapy. Patients may not tolerate treatment well. They feel nauseous and unwell. During this period, it is important to follow all doctor’s recommendations. In especially severe cases, treatment is carried out with the patient's permanent stay in the hospital. Bone marrow transplantation is considered the most effective method of preventing relapse.

According to statistics, 90% of patients who are diagnosed with pathology in the early stages recover completely. When acute myeloid leukemia is detected, the prognosis of a person’s life depends on the individual characteristics of the body, the type and stage of the disease. In the middle stages of the disease, survival rate reaches 70%, and the probability of relapse reaches only 35%. Doctors give the most favorable prognosis to pediatric patients. Child survival rates reach 90%.

In addition to medication, patients are recommended to completely change their lifestyle. In AML, proper nutrition is of particular importance. Food should be rich in vitamins and beneficial microelements.

It is also necessary to enrich the blood with oxygen, and for this you need to engage in light sports or physical therapy.

Also, according to oncologists, the patient’s psychological attitude is very important in the treatment of any type of cancer. According to internal statistics from oncology centers, survival rates are much higher for patients who are cheerful, optimistic and confident in their recovery. A person’s environment also plays a big role. If relatives support the patient, give him hope and fight with him, the chances of survival increase significantly.

If treatment is not carried out, the patient’s life expectancy most often does not exceed 1 year, while after chemotherapy there is a chance to live for many more years. Patient survival is assessed in the first 5 years after treatment.

Prevention of pathology

There are no specific measures to prevent leukemia. The only thing that will help to suspect and identify the disease in a timely manner is regular testing and preventive examinations. Doctors also advise leading a healthy lifestyle, giving up bad habits and eating right.

In addition, it has been proven that cancer often appears in people who abuse medications and self-treat with antibiotics and other groups of drugs. For this reason, beware of purchasing and using advertised dietary supplements, medications and other products without consulting a doctor.

Blood cancer is one of the ten most common cancers. According to statistics, pathology is more often diagnosed in men. The prognosis for survival is assessed in the first 5 years after treatment. If the patient does not relapse during this period, there is a good chance that the disease will never return. It is very important for patients undergoing chemotherapy to undergo regular screening according to the prescribed schedule.

In contact with

Leukemia is an aggressive malignant disease of the hematopoietic system, characterized by the advantage of the processes of division, growth and reproduction of bone marrow cells, and in some cases, the appearance of pathological foci of hematopoiesis in other organs. In leukemia, cancer cells from the bone marrow enter the bloodstream in large numbers, replacing mature forms of white blood cells.

There are several types of leukemia. Most of them occur in white blood cells, which are part of the body's immune system. Prognosis and survival in most cases depend on accurate definition of the disease, early diagnosis and timely, effective treatment.

Main types of leukemia

1. Acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
2. Acute myeloid leukemia.
3. Chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
4. Chronic myeloid leukemia.

The word "acute" means that the disease develops and progresses quite quickly.

The term "chronic" indicates a long course of the disease without any therapy.

The designations "lymphoblastic" and "lymphocytic" indicate abnormal cells that arise from lymphoid stem tissues. And “myeloid” indicates the development of mutated tissues from a myeloid stem cell.

Leukemia survival

Survival rates for people with acute myeloid leukemia

Overall, 5-year survival is about 25% and ranges from 22% in men to 26% in women.

Oncology shows that there are certain conditions that affect the positive prognosis of treatment:

• leukemia cells are found between chromosomes 8 and 21 or between 15 and 17;
• leukemic cells have an inversion of chromosome 16;
• cells are not characterized by changes in specific genes;
• age under 60 years;

The prognosis may be worse under the following conditions:

• part of chromosomes 5 or 7 is missing in leukemic cells;
• leukemia cells have complex changes affecting many chromosomes;
• cell changes are observed at the genetic level;
• older age (from 60 years);
• leukocytes in the blood more than 100,000 at the time of diagnosis;
• leukemia does not respond to initial treatment;
• active blood poisoning is observed.

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia: prognosis for cancer patients

A malignant disease of the blood and bone marrow, in which too many white blood cells are produced, does not always provide reassuring prognostic data.

The chances of recovery depend on:

• level of change in DNA structure and its type;
• the prevalence of malignant cells in the bone marrow;
• stages of the disease;
• primary treatment or resulting relapse;
• progression.

Chronic myeloid leukemia: prognosis

The disease occurs in pluripotent hematopoietic cells, affecting the formation of leukemic tissue at all levels of the molecular composition of the blood.

Prognosis for leukemia This type has changed significantly in recent years due to new therapies, in particular bone marrow and stem cell transplants. Thus, the 5-year survival rate becomes 40-80%, and the 10-year survival rate becomes 30-60%.

Survival with hydroxyurea therapy is 4-5 years. When interferon is used, alone or in combination with cytarabine, the numbers almost double. Administration of imatinib also had a positive effect on patient prognosis (85% compared to 37% with interferon alone).

Summary statistics of survival for leukemia

One-, five- and ten-year survival statistics become:

1. 71% of men with combined treatments live for at least one year. This rate drops to 54% surviving at five years. For women leukemia characterized by other prognostic data. The figures are slightly lower: 66% of women are expected to survive for a year and 49% of patients should survive for five years.
2. For leukemia, the predicted survival rate gradually decreases and after 10 years leads to the following data: 48% of men and 44% of women will benefit from treatment.

Predicting survival based on age becomes:

• The positive result is higher among young men and women under 30-49 years of age and decreases with age.
• The 5-year survival rate in men ranges from 67% in 15-39 year olds to 23% in 80-99% year olds. In women, cancer, taking into account prognostic conditions, has the same indications.
• 10-year net survival has recently improved by 7% since the 1990s. In general, 4 out of 10 people in 2014 were completely cured of the disease.

Acute leukemia is an oncological disease of the hematopoietic system, characterized by rapid development and affecting mainly children and young people. The pathology originates in the cells of the spinal cord, from where it spreads throughout the body with the flow of peripheral blood. The mortality statistics for acute leukemia are very high, despite the fact that modern oncology has learned to treat this disease.

The origin and mechanism of development of a pathological condition that poses a serious threat to life is based on malignant degeneration and uncontrolled growth of a stem cell, which, after full maturation, is converted into blood cells - lymphocytes, erythrocytes and platelets. Acute leukemia, or as this disease is called in everyday life, is clonal in nature, that is, it can develop from one affected hematopoietic cell, which, after mutation, gives rise to the appearance of many clones with the same signs of malignancy. Malignant cells divide very quickly and in a short time replace all the hematopoietic structures of the bone marrow, displacing healthy cellular elements.

The appearance of acute leukemia

The pathological condition has some features in the development mechanism, which are as follows?

1. The onset of acute leukemia begins in committed (having a given direction in further functioning, i.e., completely ready to become leukocytes, platelets or erythrocytes) cells. This factor explains the diversity of the clinical picture of the disease.
2. Immature blast cells divide very quickly, resulting in the formation of an extensive tumor clone with new properties in the human bone marrow in a short time.
3. An atypical neoplasm that does not have the ability to function normally contributes to the development of numerous negative manifestations of acute leukemia, among which the most common are hemorrhagic syndrome (blood clotting disorder, accompanied by extensive bleeding and subcutaneous hemorrhages) and anemia.

Rapidly progressing acute leukemia begins to metastasize early. Blast cells spread with the peripheral blood flow beyond the hematopoietic organs, resulting in infiltration of the lymph nodes, mucous membranes, skin and internal organs, most often the liver and spleen.

Acute leukemia in children

With acute malignant lesions of the hematopoietic organs, young patients end up in oncology clinics much more often than adults. This negative feature can only be explained by the fact that in early childhood the final formation of all body systems that are not fully matured during intrauterine development occurs (the bone marrow, the cells of which are directly involved in the development of acute leukemia, precisely belongs to this category).

Oncological disease has some features associated with childhood:

1. Most susceptible to acute leukemia are children with Down syndrome and babies whose mothers, while carrying a child, did not give up their addictions;
2. childhood acute leukemia has a more aggressive course than in adults and is resistant to antitumor therapy, as well as high mortality;
3. the incidence of diseases of this etiology in childhood is approximately 30% of all cancers;
4. most often the first and alarming ones appear between the ages of 2 and 5 years.

Classification of acute leukemia

It is possible to select the optimal program for acute forms of leukemia only when the nature of the dangerous disease is fully known. To identify it, diagnostic studies are carried out, the results of which are systematized in the international FAB classification.

Only an experienced hemato-oncologist can fully understand it, but for general information it is worth mentioning 2 main forms of acute leukemia, which are the most common:

1. (ALL). This form of the disease is characterized by uncontrolled division of immature lymphocytes and the formation of small, large, or blast cells of the hematopoietic system with altered cytoplasm.
2. Acute non-lymphoblastic leukemia (ANL). This category includes:, the precursors of which are granulocytes (granular leukocytes), megakaryoblastic leukemia, developing from immature platelets and, provoked by the active division of monocytes, a type of leukemia.

All subtypes of acute leukemia require specific therapy, since they differ in genetic, immunological and morphological properties.

Causes that provoke the development of acute leukemia

For what reason hematopoietic cells, the production of which mostly occurs in the bone marrow, begin to mutate is still not known. Most scientists are inclined to the direct influence of the genetic factor, but, as statistical data show, it does not play a fundamental role, since a significant number of people with poor heredity live to a ripe old age without ever feeling the symptoms of acute leukemia. Although the main causes of cancer of the hematopoietic system and peripheral blood have not been identified, experts have every reason to point to risk factors that increase the chances of the onset of the pathological process and accelerate its progression.

These include:

1. Radiation, chemical or toxicological effects. The chances of developing acute leukemia increase in people living in areas with unfavorable environmental conditions, near large factories or nuclear power plants.
2. Pathologies associated with changes in the chromosome set (Klinefelter's disease, Down syndrome, etc.). These reasons are the main risk factors for the development of acute leukemia in children.
3. The influence of pathogenic viruses. Some viral infections (herpes, influenza) increase the risk of an abnormal response of the immune system to the causative agents of these diseases.

There is an influence on the development of acute leukemia and the presence of a person’s history of blood diseases (certain types of anemia, myelodysplasia). In most cases, as clinical practice shows, acute leukemia develops under the simultaneous influence of several causes that aggravate each other, for example, the impact of an unfavorable environmental situation increases if a person has a hereditary predisposition to cancer.

Symptoms indicating the development of acute leukemia

It is very difficult to recognize the acute form of leukemia at the inception stage, since the first manifestations of the pathological condition cannot be called specific. They are more reminiscent of the development of a common cold, so people who experience them do not seek to visit a specialist, but begin to independently treat the so-called cold. Symptoms, the appearance of which should cause alarm in a person, appear after the tumor process that has affected the hematopoietic cells of the bone marrow begins to progress. But even at this stage it is not too late to suppress the development of the disease.

You should urgently contact a specialist if one or more of the following signs appear:

• unexpected appearance of joint or bone pain that occurs not only during movements, but also at rest;
• bleeding gums, frequent and heavy nosebleeds, the appearance of bruises on the skin without mechanical impact;
• pronounced enlargement of lymph nodes without their acquisition of pain;
• constant pallor or obvious yellowness of the skin;
• unexplained appearance of cardiovascular disorders (muffled heart sounds, tachycardia, in rare cases, expansion of the boundaries of the heart muscle).

After the transition of acute leukemia to the metastatic stage in children and adults, signs may appear indicating disturbances in the functioning of the central nervous system. Their presence indicates that the blast cells of their hematopoietic organs have metastasized into the nervous system.

Important! If these signs appear, you should never self-medicate. The only correct decision a person can make in this case is to seek professional medical advice. Only timely detection and initiation of treatment for progressive acute leukemia will allow long-term remission to be achieved.

How is leukemia diagnosed?

The diagnosis of acute leukemia cannot be made solely on the basis of the presence of specific clinical manifestations in the patient, since they may indicate the development of other, less dangerous diseases in the circulatory system. In order to confirm the oncology of hematopoietic tissues, it is necessary to obtain clear confirmation of the presence of morphological and histological signs corresponding to the disease, namely the presence of blast cells in the bone marrow and peripheral blood.

Diagnosis of acute leukemia consists of several stages:

1. Laboratory blood tests. This diagnostic measure is necessary to identify changes in the quantitative ratio of blood cells. The general test is taken from the patient over time (weekly) over a certain period of time, which helps to avoid errors in making a diagnosis.
2. Histological diagnosis. It is carried out in the oncohematology department, where the patient is placed for several days necessary to conduct this study. A bone marrow puncture is taken from the pelvic bones of a person suspected of having acute leukemia. This study allows us to identify the degree of differentiation of hematopoietic cells and clarify the type of development.
3. Instrumental research. They are necessary to identify the process of metastasis and determine the degree of involvement of internal organs in the oncological process. The main instrumental techniques for acute forms of leukemia are abdominal ultrasound, chest x-ray and computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging.

Treatment methods for acute leukemia

Acute leukemia is treated mainly with the help of, since resection of the tumor, if it is in the bloodstream or bone marrow, is impossible. To obtain high effectiveness from therapy, antitumor drugs are prescribed in various combinations, depending on the form of the developing disease and the patient’s condition. The use of chemotherapy is aimed at the complete destruction of mutated hematopoietic cells.

The best therapeutic result in acute leukemia can be achieved when chemotherapy includes several stages:

1. Induction therapy. The most intensive treatment, lasting up to 6 weeks. Usually, after the course, remission occurs, but when treatment is stopped, it will only be visible, that is, the relief of the condition will last for several days, and then the negative symptoms will resume with renewed vigor.
2. Consolidating therapy. The purpose of this course is to destroy the malignant blood cells, most often leukocytes, remaining in the body after the first stage of treatment. This course of treatment is very long. Its duration can reach 3 years.

Induction therapy is usually carried out in a hospital setting, since the drugs prescribed for it contribute to the suppression of the production of leukocytes, which can lead to a clear deterioration in the well-being of the cancer patient, and consolidation therapy is allowed to be performed at home, but with a mandatory scheduled visit to a hemato-oncologist for blood donation.

Excellent therapeutic results for acute leukemia are shown (replacing blasts with healthy ones taken from a donor). To prevent the infiltration of tumor structures into healthy tissues of internal organs, many patients are prescribed courses of radiotherapy.

Prognosis for recovery

There is no answer to the question of how long you can live with acute leukemia. The length of life depends not only on the doctor, but also on the patient. If a person who feels unwell seeks medical help in a timely manner and begins to unquestioningly follow all the recommendations of the attending physician, in 90% of cases he will achieve a full recovery. If you contact a hemato-oncologist late or ignore traditional methods of therapy, when, due to fear of the negative consequences of chemistry, preference is given to doing it yourself or turning to so-called healers, you cannot expect a favorable prognosis. Most patients with acute leukemia die within 5 years of diagnosis.

Important! If a person has been diagnosed with acute leukemia, one should not immediately become discouraged and say goodbye to life. This disease, although very serious, is completely curable with the right therapeutic approach. Modern treatment protocols, prescribed to each patient individually, make it possible to achieve high efficiency, and in the event of a long-term remission (no relapse is observed for 5 or more years), the chances of the disease returning are almost completely eliminated, and the person is considered conditionally recovered.

Informative video