Leukemia is commonly described as a cancer of the blood cells. It is a serious disease that affects the blood and can spread through the blood to other parts of the body, so when symptoms appear, they should be treated as soon as possible. Leukemia causes the body to produce abnormal blood cells which can severely affect the functioning of the blood cells and the purposes they normally serve. This in turn can negatively impact the health and vitality of the patient with leukemia, causing debilitating effects or death.

Healthy versus Infected Cells

Blood is normally made up of plasma and three types of healthy blood cells. These include white blood cells, also called leukocytes, which help the body to fight off infection; red blood cells, also called erythrocytes, that help to carry oxygen from the lungs to the body’s tissues and carbon dioxide from the tissues to the lungs; and platelets, also known as thrombocytes, which help the body form blood clots when it needs to.

Blood is produced in the body’s bone marrow. New or immature blood cells are called blasts. Some blasts stay in the marrow in order to mature while others travel to other parts of the body to mature. Leukemia cells are abnormal blood cells that affect the functioning of what the normally healthy blood cells do. This can be severely debilitating or life threatening. The most commonly affected cell is the white blood cell.

When scientists study affected blood under a microscope, the abnormal blood cells are easy to spot. These cells appear different than the healthy cells and they also do not function properly. For example, since the white blood cell is the most commonly affected cell, patients may acquire frequent infections or may become ill more often than usual.

Some patients who have one type of leukemia may not experience any symptoms, while others may experience a more acute version of symptoms. Either way, patients with leukemia must remain under constant monitoring to ensure their blood cell count remains at an acceptable level. Leukemia also may or may not require aggressive treatment, so it is best for patients to discuss this with their doctor.