General Information About Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Transcription

1 General Infrmatin Abut Childhd Acute Lymphblastic Leukemia Key Pints fr This Sectin Childhd acute lymphblastic leukemia (ALL) is a type f cancer in which the bne marrw makes t many immature lymphcytes (a type f white bld cell). Family histry and being expsed t radiatin may affect the risk f develping childhd ALL. Pssible signs f childhd ALL include fever and bruising. Tests that examine the bld and bne marrw are used t detect (find) and diagnse childhd ALL. Certain factrs affect prgnsis (chance f recvery) and treatment ptins. Childhd acute lymphblastic leukemia (ALL) is a type f cancer in which the bne marrw makes t many immature lymphcytes (a type f white bld cell). Childhd acute lymphblastic leukemia (als called acute lymphcytic leukemia r ALL) is a cancer f the bld and bne marrw. This type f cancer usually gets wrse quickly if it is nt treated. ALL is the mst cmmn type f cancer in children. In a healthy child, the bne marrw makes bld stem cells (immature cells) that becme mature bld cells ver time. A bld stem cell may becme a myelid stem cell r a lymphid stem cell. A myelid stem cell becmes ne f three types f mature bld cells: Red bld cells that carry xygen and ther substances t all tissues f the bdy. Platelets that frm bld clts t stp bleeding. White bld cells that fight infectin and disease.

2 A lymphid stem cell becmes a lymphblast cell and then ne f three types f lymphcytes (white bld cells): B lymphcytes that make antibdies t help fight infectin. T lymphcytes that help B lymphcytes make the antibdies that help fight infectin. Natural killer cells that attack cancer cells and viruses. In a child with ALL, t many stem cells becme lymphblasts, B lymphcytes, r T lymphcytes. These cells are cancer (leukemia) cells. The leukemia cells d nt wrk like nrmal lymphcytes and are nt able t fight infectin very well. Als, as the number f leukemia cells increases in the bld and bne marrw, there is less rm fr healthy white bld cells, red bld cells, and platelets. This may lead t infectin, anemia, and easy bleeding. This summary is abut acute lymphblastic leukemia in children, teenagers, and yung adults. See the fllwing PDQ summaries fr infrmatin abut ther types f leukemia: Childhd Acute Myelid Leukemia/Other Myelid Malignancies Treatment Adult Acute Lymphblastic Leukemia Treatment Chrnic Lymphcytic Leukemia Treatment Adult Acute Myelid Leukemia Treatment Chrnic Myelgenus Leukemia Treatment Hairy Cell Leukemia Treatment Family histry and being expsed t radiatin may affect the risk f develping childhd ALL. Anything that increases yur risk f getting a disease is called a risk factr. Having a risk factr des nt mean that yu will get cancer; nt having risk factrs desn t mean that yu will nt get cancer. Talk with yur child's dctr if yu think yur child may be at risk.

3 Pssible risk factrs fr ALL include the fllwing: Being expsed t x-rays befre birth. Being expsed t radiatin. Past treatment with chemtherapy. Having certain changes in the genes. Having certain genetic cnditins that include the fllwing: Dwn syndrme. Ataxia-telangiectasia. Blm syndrme. Neurfibrmatsis. Shwachman syndrme. Pssible signs f childhd ALL include fever and bruising. These and ther symptms may be caused by childhd ALL. Other cnditins may cause the same symptms. Check with yur child's dctr if yur child has any f the fllwing prblems: Fever. Easy bruising r bleeding. Petechiae (flat, pinpint, dark-red spts under the skin caused by bleeding). Bne r jint pain. Painless lumps in the neck, underarm, stmach, r grin. Pain r feeling f fullness belw the ribs. Weakness, feeling tired, r lking pale. Lss f appetite. Tests that examine the bld and bne marrw are used t detect (find) and diagnse childhd ALL.

4 The fllwing tests and prcedures may be used: Physical exam and histry : An exam f the bdy t check general signs f health, including checking fr signs f disease, such as lumps r anything else that seems unusual. A histry f the patient's health habits and past illnesses and treatments will als be taken. Cmplete bld cunt (CBC) with differential : A prcedure in which a sample f bld is drawn and checked fr the fllwing: The number f red bld cells and platelets. The number and type f white bld cells. The amunt f hemglbin (the prtein that carries xygen) in the red bld cells. The prtin f the sample made up f red bld cells. Bne marrw aspiratin and bipsy : The remval f bne marrw, bld, and a small piece f bne by inserting a hllw needle int the hipbne r breastbne. A pathlgist views the bne marrw, bld, and bne under a micrscpe t lk fr signs f cancer. Cytgenetic analysis : A labratry test in which the cells in a sample f bld r bne marrw are viewed under a micrscpe t lk fr certain changes in the chrmsmes in the lymphcytes. Fr example, in Philadelphia chrmsme-psitive ALL, part f ne chrmsme is mved t anther chrmsme. This is called the Philadelphia chrmsme. Other tests, such as flurescence in situ hybridizatin (FISH), may als be dne t lk fr certain changes in the chrmsmes. Immunphentyping : A test in which the cells in a sample f bld r bne marrw are lked at under a micrscpe t find ut if malignant lymphcytes (cancer) began frm the B lymphcytes r the T lymphcytes. Bld chemistry studies : A prcedure in which a bld sample is checked t measure the amunts f certain substances released int the bld by rgans and tissues in the bdy. An unusual (higher r lwer than nrmal) amunt f a substance can be a sign f disease in the rgan r tissue that makes it.

5 Chest x-ray : An x-ray f the rgans and bnes inside the chest. An x-ray is a type f energy beam that can g thrugh the bdy and nt film, making a picture f areas inside the bdy. Certain factrs affect prgnsis (chance f recvery) and treatment ptins. The prgnsis (chance f recvery) depends n: Age at diagnsis, gender, and race. The number f white bld cells at diagnsis. Whether the leukemia cells began frm B lymphcytes r T lymphcytes. Whether there are certain changes in the chrmsmes f lymphcytes. Whether the child has Dwn syndrme. Whether the leukemia has spread t the brain, spinal crd, r testicles. Hw quickly and hw lw the leukemia cell cunt drps after initial treatment. The treatment ptins depend n: Whether the leukemia cells began frm B lymphcytes r T lymphcytes. Whether the child has standard-risk r high-risk ALL. The age f the child at diagnsis. Whether there are certain changes in the chrmsmes f lymphcytes, such as the Philadelphia chrmsme. Fr leukemia that recurs (cmes back) after initial treatment, the prgnsis and treatment ptins depend n: Hw lng it is between the end f initial treatment and when the leukemia recurs. Whether the leukemia recurs in the bne marrw r utside the bne marrw. Surce: Natinal Cancer Institute