Leukemia in Young Children
Find out more about childhood leukemia
Leukemia is a cancer of the white blood cells (known among medical professionals as leukocytes or WBCs.) When a
child has leukemia, large quantities of abnormal white blood cells are produced in the bone marrow which crowd the
bone marrow and flood the bloodstream. These cells cannot protect the body against the disease because they are
defective.
As the disease progresses, the cancer interferes with the body's production of other types of blood cells,
including red blood cells and platelets. This leads to anemia (low red blood cell count) and bleeding problems. It
also puts the child at increased risk for infection since the white blood cells suffer from abnormalities.
Leukemia accounts for a quarter of all childhood cancers and affects over two thousand American children each year.
However, the chances for a cure are very good for leukemia. Most children with leukemia can be free of the disease
without relapses with proper care and treatment.
Different types of Childhood Leukemia
Leukemia is divided into two categories: acute and chronic. Acute cancers are rapidly developing and chronic
cancers are slowly developing. 98% of leukemia in children is classified as acute.
Acute childhood leukemias are further divided into two categories: acute lymphocytic leukemia and acute myelogenous
leukemia. These categories depend on which kinds of white blood cells are afflicted. About 60% of children with
leukemia suffer from acute lymphocytic leukemia. About 38% have acute myelogenous leukemia.
Childhood leukemia risks
The acute lymphocytic form most commonly occurs in younger children ages two to eight, with a particular risk at
age four. However, it can affect all age groups. Children have a 20% to 25% chance of developing either form of
leukemia if they have an identical twin who was diagnosed with the illness before age 6. Overall, nonidentical
twins and other siblings of children with leukemia have greater than average risk of developing this illness.
Leukemia Symptoms
Since white blood cells that normally fight off infection are defective in children with leukemia, these children
typically experience more infections and fevers. They might also become anemic since leukemia affects red blood
cell counts. Children with leukemia might bleed and bruise easily, experience frequent nosebleeds, and have trouble
for a long time even after a minor cut.
Diagnosing Leukemia
Along with the standard medical exam, your doctor will order a complete blood count to measure white cells, red
cells, and platelets in your child’s blood. The doctor may check for abnormal blood cells typically seen in
patients with leukemia. Additional testing may be required before procuring a diagnosis.
Treating Leukemia
The intensity and length of treatments depend on many factors including the severity of the disease and age. A
combination of chemotherapy and radiation treatments might be necessary to treat patients. For parents with
children diagnosed with leukemia—be as optimistic as you can. Childhood leukemia has a high remission rate and the
likelihood of full recovery is high compared to other cancers.
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