Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) Doctor in Indore

🔬 What is Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL)?

ALL is a rapidly spreading blood and bone marrow cancer whereby the body causes a mass production of immature white blood cells known as lymphoblasts. These diseased cells overcrowd normal blood cells, causing a weakened immune system, anemia, and bleeding.

• Acute- acute develops fast and requires immediate treatment.

• The term lymphoblastic means immature lymphoid cells (lymphocyte precursors).

• The term leukemia means cancer of the white blood cells.

• ALL is generally found in young children, although it is also possible in adults.

🧬 Common Types of ALL

ALL is categorized according to the affected type of lymphocyte and the genetic characteristics of the cancer cells:

• 1. B-cell ALL (B-ALL)

• Most widespread type, particularly in children.

• Develops as a result of immature B lymphocytes.

• Treatment is often effective.

2. T-cell ALL (T-ALL)

• More prevalent in teenagers and older children, as well as adults.

• It may lead to a huge tumor in the chest (mediastinal mass).

• Increased chance of central nervous system (CNS) involvement.

3. ALL with Philadelphia Chromosome-positive (Ph+ ALL)

• Due to a mutation in the genetic code, named BCR-ABL fusion gene is formed.

• More common in adults.

• Plays a role in requiring specific treatment (e.g., tyrosine kinase inhibitors such as imatinib).

⚠️ Symptoms of ALL

The shortage of normal blood cells and the proliferation of leukemia cells to other organs cause symptoms.

General Symptoms:

• Fatigue and weakness

• Cold and frequent infections.

• Anorexia and wasting.

• Pale skin

Due to low blood counts:

• Anemia → Feeling of breathlessness, fatigue.

• Low platelets → Easy bruising, bleeding, nosebleeds

• Low white cells → Infections that persist.

Bone and organ symptoms:

• Bone and joint pain

• Swollen lymph nodes

• Small intestine obstruction (small bowel obstruction)

• Seizures (in case of CNS involvement) or vision changes, or headaches.

📌 Risk Factors for ALL

The actual cause of ALL is usually not known, although there are some risk factors that may predispose an individual to the condition.

1. Genetic Disorders

• Down syndrome

• Li-Fraumeni syndrome

• Bloom syndrome

• Fanconi anemia

• Ataxia-telangiectasia

2. Radiation or Chemicals.

• Radiation (e.g., high dose radiation as in the case of atomic bomb survivors)

• Consumption of some chemotherapy medications.

• Benzene (rare) is an industrial chemical.

3. Previous Cancer Treatments

• Individuals who are receiving chemo/radiation to treat other types of cancers are at risk of getting ALL in the future.

4. Family History

• There are rare, although some inherited mutations that can predispose to leukemia.

5. Age and Sex

• Most frequent in children under the age of less than 5.

• A little more widespread in men.

🛡️ Prevention of ALL

Most instances of ALL, unfortunately, cannot be prevented, particularly in children, because:

• It normally has no known cause.

• The vast majority of risk factors (such as genetic mutations or age) are unalterable.

What you can do:

• Keep off unneeded radiation and poisonous chemicals such as benzene.

• Genetic counseling can also be useful when there is a high family history or a known genetic disorder.

• But the lifestyle and diet alone are not proven to be enough to prevent ALL.