Chronic myelogenous leukemia is a serious tumor disease of the blood. This is one of the most common forms of leukemia. Chronic myelogenous leukemia can develop in adults, children, men and women. But nevertheless, men of retirement age are most often faced with this problem. Fight with myeloid leukemia is necessary. Doing this is much easier, knowing the main manifestations of the disease and the reasons for its appearance.
Causes and symptoms of chronic myelogenous leukemia
With myeloleukemia, several cells of the bone marrow are transformed into malignant ones. They begin to actively produce granulocytes. Malignant cells gradually replace the healthy components of the blood, which, of course, negatively affects the general state of health.
Today, no expert can say what exactly this disease appears. Among the possible causes of chronic myelogenous leukemia are the following:
- In most cases it was possible to determine that the appearance of the disease was preceded by irradiation with various doses of radiation. It is also believed that electromagnetic radiation can adversely affect the body.
- Sometimes chronic myeloid leukemia is caused by some drugs. To the number of dangerous preparations for health specialists classified some antitumoral drugs, aldehydes, alcohols, alkenes.
- It is not known whether smoking can be the immediate cause of the emergence of chronic myelogenous leukemia, but the fact that this harmful habit aggravates the patient's condition is a fact.
Symptoms of chronic myelogenous leukemia usually depend on the stage of the disease. There are three main phases of the disease:
- With the initial chronic phase of the disease, more than half of the patients turn to doctors. At this stage, the problem can be completely asymptomatic. Sometimes patients feel weak, quickly get tired, suddenly lose weight, feel discomfort in the stomach. Often enough, myeloid leukemia is detected by accident when passing a blood test .
- At the second stage - the acceleration phase - there are pains in the heart, the liver and spleen increase in size. Patients often complain of bleeding, which is very difficult to stop. At this stage, the patient has regular temperature increases.
- The most disappointing predictions for the final stage of chronic myelogenous leukemia. Bone marrow by this time is almost entirely composed of malignant cells. The condition of the patient is extremely difficult. His organism is susceptible to various infections. The patient suffers from fever and unbearable pain in the bones.
Can I cure chronic myelogenous leukemia?
To cure this disease it is possible. The complexity and duration of treatment depends on the patient's condition and the degree of development of the disease. That is why, in order to start timely treatment of chronic myelogenous leukemia, it needs to be diagnosed on time. For this, it is enough to take a blood test regularly. Ideally, however, a comprehensive medical examination will be superfluous.
Sometimes for complete liberation from myeloid leukemia it is enough
Often, one can recover only 100% after a bone marrow transplant. At the same time, medicinal treatment is used solely to inhibit the development of the disease.
Some patients are helped by the method of treatment of chronic myelogenous leukemia, involving the purging of blood. This method consists in removing excess leukocytes from the blood. After the procedure, the patient's condition temporarily improves.
Another method of treatment is removal of the spleen . This method is used extremely rarely, only when there are really weighty indications to this.