Children nightmare: Acute lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL)

A kind of blood cancer that can affect both children and adults is acute lymphoblastic leukemia, sometimes referred to as ALL.

According to the American Cancer Society, children under 5 are most likely to develop acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) (ACS). The risk decreases until a person is in their mid-20s, after which it begins to increase once more. Kids receive about 60% of diagnosis.

In 2022, the ACS projects that over 6,660 people will be given an ALL diagnosis and that 1,560 of them will pass away from the disease. Adults are more likely than children to die from ALL.

Symptoms

The body overproduces blast cells, or immature white blood cells, which causes leukemia. In the event of ALL, an excessive number of lymphoblasts or lymphocytes are produced. They develop into leukemia cells.

These blast cells crowd out the healthy cells that allow the body to function as their concentration in the bone marrow and blood rises. Symptoms begin to emerge as the amount of red blood cells and platelets decreases.

Typically, they begin gradually before becoming more severe as the blood’s concentration of blast cells increases.

The symptoms may include:

  • excessive sweating
  • a fever
  • fatigue
  • dizziness
  • easy bruising or frequent bleeding, such as nosebleeds
  • difficulty breathing
  • painful joints, bones, or both
  • frequent infections
  • swollen lymph nodes
  • pale skin
  • reduced appetite and weight loss
  • purpura and petechiae, which are small spots or patches that appear where bleeding occurs under the skin 
On light skin, purpura and petechiae appear red or purple. They might be harder to see on dark skin, but they’ll probably be noticeable on lighter places, such the hands’ palms or the inside of the lips.
 
Other organs may be impacted as ALL worsens. Abdominal swelling and discomfort may occur if it affects the liver and spleen.
 
Headaches, weakness, and other symptoms may appear if the disease begins to harm the brain and spinal cord.

Causes and risk factors

There are a few widespread risk factors, yet doctors are unsure of the precise cause of ALL.

These include:

  • age, as it is more common in children and in adults aged over 50 years
  • some genetic factors and conditions, including Down syndrome, Fanconi anemia, and Klinefelter syndrome
  • exposure to radiation, for instance, during a nuclear accident or treatment for a previous cancer
  • exposure to chemicals, notably benzene, present in cigarette smoke and petroleum products
  • some viruses, such as the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) or the human T-cell leukemia virus, may increase the risk
A 2018 study suggests there may be a “small and imprecise” risk of childhood leukemia if one is near overhead power cables. The authors emphasize the need for additional study to verify this connection.

Diagnosis

A doctor will gather medical information, conduct a physical exam, run some tests, and obtain a medical history if a patient exhibits symptoms that could point to ALL.

These tests could consist of:

  • blood tests
  • bone marrow tests
  • genetic tests
  • a lumbar puncture
  • a lymph node biopsy
  • imaging tests

Treatment modalites

  •  Chemotherapy
  • radiation therapy
  • bone marrow transplant
  • targeted therapy
  • immunotherapy

Treatment for children

Chemotherapy is the main treatment for leukemia in children.

The youngster will typically need to stay in the hospital for a while during the early, intensive treatment. However, following a month of initial treatment, more than 95%Trusted Source of children with ALL go into remission.

A relapse occurs in 15-20% of children who go into remission, according to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. The cure rate is over 90%, but, is also mentioned.

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