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Leukemia Cancer Specialist In Delhi Ncr
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Everything you need to know about Leukemia Cancer treatment in Delhi
According to the studies, out of all the new cancer cases diagnosed in India, 8% accounts for blood cancer. Out of the three main types of blood cancer, Leukemia, Lymphoma, and Myeloma, Leukemia makes up 25% of the cancer diagnosis.
Leukemia is the cancer of white blood cells, bone marrow, and the lymphatic system. The bone marrow is responsible for generating white blood cells that prevent the body from contagious diseases and foreign invaders. A person is diagnosed with leukemia when the bone marrow produces more white blood cells, overcoming other blood cells. It results in the poor functioning of white blood cells.
Like any other cancer, the treatment is easier and more beneficial when diagnosed in the early stages. But in so many cases, patients are not aware of the symptoms, which gives the disease the time to develop into the next stage. Factors that affect the early detection of cancer:
- Lack of an integrated healthcare system.
- Lack of education and awareness about the disease.
- Poor access to healthcare benefits in rural areas.
Here we will be covering all the necessary information about leukemia.
What are the warning signs of Leukemia cancer?
The symptoms of leukemia grow slowly over time. Many of its symptoms look like flu, while the indications of flu decrease over time, leukemia’s symptoms keep getting worse. The symptoms include
- Constant fatigue.
- Loss of appetite usually leads to significant weight loss.
- Headaches and night sweats.
- Stomach issues.
- Breathing issues.
- Coming in contact with infections frequently.
- Small red spots under the skin are called Petechiae.
If you have been experiencing these symptoms for more than two weeks, you should visit a cancer specialist in Delhi NCR.
What is the most effective treatment for Leukemia?
The treatment for leukemia depends on many factors. The leukemia specialist doctors in Delhi considers the following factors before selecting a particular treatment:
- The type of leukemia you have
- Age
- Overall health
- Whether cancer has reached other body parts
- The stage of the cancer
The most common procedures for leukemia treatment in Delhi are:
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is the most common treatment for various types of cancers. A single chemical or a variety of chemicals are given to the patient to cure cancer. These chemicals kill leukemia cells. The dose of chemicals depends on the severity of the disease.
Radiation therapy
Radiation therapy is a fine example of using advanced technology to cure serious diseases. X Rays or high-energy radiations damage leukemia cells. Radiation may be given where the most number of leukemia cells are present or can be given to the entire body.
Bone marrow transplant
The bone marrow produces the excess white blood cells that lead to leukemia. It helps in establishing a new and healthy bone marrow by replacing the old one. Before stem cell transplant, chemotherapy and radiation therapy kill the damaged cells. After that, new stem cells are infused for the creation of blood cells.
Targeted therapy
This therapy focuses on a particular abnormality of the cancer cell and works by preventing these abnormalities. Other medications may follow the targeted therapy.
Immunotherapy
Immunotherapy works by activating or suppressing the immune system that fights the diseases. The protein produced in cancer cells helps cancer in protecting itself from the immune function. Immunotherapy halts this process to make the functions of the immune system effective.
CAR-T cell therapy
This therapy works by engineering the chimeric antigen receptors cells to fight back the cancer cells. The CAR-T cells are germ-fighting cells by specialization. They can be designed to treat certain types of leukemia.
Specialists do many clinical trials to discover new ways to fight leukemia cancer. It allows the patients to get the latest treatment based on research and is equipped with the most advanced technology.
Multiple Myeloma FAQs
Researchers still do not know the main reasons that lead to Leukemia cancer, but over time, they have come up with some of the risk factors that contribute to it.
- Exposure to high-level chemicals such as benzene which is found in cigarette smoke.
- Some people who undergo chemotherapy or radiation therapy to cure other kinds of cancer can develop leukemia.
- Genetic disorders such as Down Syndrome, Wiskott Aldrich Syndrome, Kostmann Syndrome, neurofibromatosis type 1, Trisomy 8, Blood Syndrome, Fanconi Anemia, and other present disorders at birth can develop into leukemia.
- Germline Predisposition or other mutations in genes at the time of birth can increase the chances of leukemia.
- Smoking is one of the main causes that lead to different types of cancers.
Age and gender are two other factors that explain the development of leukemia. The chances of having blood cancer increase with age. Also, men are more likely to have leukemia than women.
Leukemia is categorized based on
- How fast it grows and how bad it grows.
- The types of cells involved.
Acute and chronic leukemia is based on the disease’s growth rate, and Lymphocytic and Myelogenous Leukemia are based on the cell types.
The four main types of leukemia are:
- Acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL)
This type is most common in children and teens. In this, the abnormal, immature blood cells divide rapidly and can’t function properly. This type grows rapidly and requires quick and aggressive treatment.
- Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)
This type generally doesn’t show early symptoms as the mature blood cells divide and grow slowly and can function normally for a long period. There are many types of CLL.
- Acute myelogenous leukemia (AML)
This cancer is more common in older adults and males. The main reason behind AML is smoking or past cancer treatments, including chemotherapy and radiation therapy. The abnormal white blood cells are generated rapidly, affecting the body’s ability to fight diseases.
- Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML)
This cancer starts in the line marrow, from where it spreads to the blood and eventually to the entire body. It develops slowly without any visible symptoms in the initial stages, but after reaching a certain stage, it goes rapidly and demands quick treatment.
The stage of all four types of cancer are diagnosed based on different types of systems.
- The number of white blood cells diagnosed ALL.
- AML is not staged; rather, it is divided into subtypes based on the French American British (FAB) System. It includes nine subtypes from M0 to M7.
- CLL is staged using two different methods; one is the RAI system that includes 4 stages, from 0 to IV, and the Binet system has three stages – A, B, and C.
- CML has three phases named Chronic, Accelerated, and Blasted.
Early symptoms of leukemia
The early symptoms of leukemia are similar to that of fever. But the symptoms of fever usually go away in two weeks. If the warning signs last for more than two weeks, consult a doctor. The warning signs include:
- Headache and night sweats
- Red blemishes under the skin
- Constant fatigue
- Joint and muscle pain
- Unexplained loss in weight
- Stomach aches
- Fever and chills
- Trouble breathing
Leukemia is more common in people aged 55 or above. The life expectancy depends on the age, time of diagnosis, the severity of cancer, and the damage already done to the body.
- Patients aged 44 or below have a higher life expectancy rate.
- Patients aged 44-54 have a medium life expectancy rate.
- People aged 55 or above have a very low life expectancy rate.
- According to research done in 2020, the average 5 years survival rate after diagnosis is 65.8% .
- If the diagnosis is made early, a person can live up to 10-20 years after the diagnosis.
- If the diagnosis is made at the age of 50 or above, the chances of survival and life expectancy decrease.
If you or any loved one have been experiencing the symptoms of leukemia or have been diagnosed with the disease, you should visit the best medical oncologist In Delhi, Dr. PK Das.
The pain is mostly felt in the bones. You may feel acute to severe pain in the stomach, joints, and ribcage.
The five-year survival rate is 83% after the diagnosis. However, the rate may differ based on many factors.
The detection of leukemia cancer at stage one gives a patient more time to get proper treatment. With regular treatment, a person with stage 1 leukemia can live up to 10 years.