Leukemia is a type of blood cancer where the body produces abnormal blood cells, affecting the body's ability to fight infection. Your bone marrow, which produces the majority of your body's blood, is where this uncontrolled development occurs, leading to Leukemia.
Leukemia – Cancer of the blood and bone marrow, causing the body to produce abnormal white blood cells.
There are 4 types of leukemia
Acute leukemia: Rapid progression, the disease advances quickly, and you may experience nausea if you have acute leukemia. Because acute leukemia is life-threatening, it requires urgent treatment. It is the most prevalent type of cancer in youngsters.
Chronic leukemia: Slow progression, may remain asymptomatic for years. These leukemia cells frequently exhibit characteristics of both immature and adult blood cells. Though not to the same degree as their typical counterparts, some cells mature to the point where they perform as the cells they were intended to be. In contrast to acute leukemia,. Adults are more likely than children to develop chronic leukemia.
Some of the Blood Cancer symptoms are:-
Age: With age, the risk of getting Blood Cancer increases with decreased efficiency of the bone marrow to produce cells, as well as the Immune system.
Prior Cancer Treatment: You may be more susceptible to some forms of leukemia if you have had radiation or chemotherapy for cancer in the past.
Family History: If Blood cancer runs in your family, there may be a high risk of getting this blood cancer.
Smoking: You are more likely to get acute myelogenous leukemia if you have a history of smoking or have been around secondhand smoke.
Chemical exposure: Benzene and formaldehyde are well-known carcinogens that can be found in home and construction products. Rubber, plastics, dyes, insecticides, medications, and detergents are all made from benzene. Building supplies and home goods, including soaps, shampoos, and cleaning supplies.
Genetic Disorder: Your risk may be elevated by genetic conditions such as Down syndrome, Schwachman-Diamond syndrome, Klinefelter syndrome, and neurofibromatosis.
Physical examination: Your doctor will inquire about your symptoms and check for an enlarged liver or spleen as well as swollen lymph nodes. They might also check for swelling and bleeding in your gums. They might search for a red, purple, or brown skin rash linked to leukemia.
CBC test: It checks for Red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelet abnormalities. White blood cell counts are likely to be higher than normal if you have leukemia.
Blood cell analysis: To look for indicators that point to the existence of leukemia cells or a particular kind of leukemia, your doctor may draw more blood samples. Your healthcare provider may also order peripheral blood smears and flow cytometry.
Bone marrow biopsy: During the treatment, a large needle is introduced into your bone marrow, generally in your pelvic bone, to extract fluid. The fluid sample is examined for leukemia cells in a laboratory. A bone marrow biopsy confirms a leukemia diagnosis by estimating the proportion of aberrant cells in your bone marrow.
Imaging and further tests: If your symptoms suggest that leukemia has impacted your bones, organs, or tissues, your doctor may prescribe imaging tests such as a chest X-ray, CT scan, or MRI. These imaging techniques may help assess organ involvement, lymph node enlargement, or bone changes caused by the disease.
Leukemia treatment varies depending on the type of leukemia, your age, general health, and whether the disease has spread to other tissues or organs.
Treatment Includes:
Chemotherapy: The most popular treatment for leukemia is chemotherapy. Leukemia cells are either killed or prevented from proliferating by the use of drugs. You might be given the chemicals (medication) as a tablet, intravenous injection, or subcutaneous injection during treatment. You will typically be given a mix of chemotherapy medications.
Immunotherapy, also known as biologic therapy, is a treatment that uses specific medications to strengthen your body's defenses against leukemia. Your immune system can detect cancer cells and create additional immune cells to combat them with the aid of immunotherapy.
Radiation therapy: This treatment kills or inhibits the growth of leukemia cells using powerful radiation beams or X-rays. During therapy, a machine either distributes radiation throughout your body or targets the precise locations of the cancer cells. Radiation therapy may be administered to your body before a hematopoietic cell transplant.
Hematopoietic cell transplantation: Also known as a stem cell or bone marrow transplant, is a treatment that substitutes new, healthy hematopoietic cells for the malignant blood-forming cells that were destroyed by chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy. When stem cells from a healthy donor are used, healthy new cells proliferate and create new bone marrow and blood cells, which your body needs to produce red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets.
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy: It is a new kind of treatment that takes your body's natural T-cells (T-cells, or T-lymphocytes, are immune cells) and re-engineers them to target leukemia cells more effectively.
Leukemia often has no clear cause, so complete prevention may not be possible. However, certain lifestyle and environmental choices can help reduce the risk:
Avoid tobacco: Smoking is linked to an increased risk of certain types of leukemia, especially acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Quitting smoking is a key preventive step.
Limit exposure: Long-term exposure to benzene (found in gasoline and industrial settings) and certain pesticides may increase leukemia risk. Or avoid unnecessary radiation, especially repeated CT scans. Medical radiation should always be used judiciously.
Maintain a healthy lifestyle: Eating a balanced diet, getting regular exercise, and keeping a healthy weight all promote the immune system and general well-being, which may lower the risk of cancer.
Manage other health risks: Leukemia risk may be increased in individuals receiving chemotherapy or radiation treatment for other cancers or in people with specific genetic diseases (such as Down syndrome).
Leukemia (Global vs India stats)
|
Field |
Global (2022) |
India (2022) |
|
New Cases |
~474,500 new cases; men ≈ 270k, women ≈ 205k. The global age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR) for leukemia is 5.8 per 100,000. |
~549,883 new cases reported (as per the Globocan report 2022 fr leukemia) |
|
Deaths |
~311,600 deaths globally; high in elderly |
~32,100 deaths; among the top 5 globally |
|
Age & Gender |
~71% of cases occur above 45 years; male:female ≈ 1.3:1 (higher in males across all types). |
Affects both adults and children; childhood cases ≈ are 20–26% of all blood cancers |
|
Hotspots |
North America and Western Europe show the highest incidence |
Urban India, especially Mumbai, Kolkata, and Bangalore, reports higher cases |
|
Rural vs Urban |
More diagnoses in urban centers due to better testing |
Rural areas see underdiagnosis and late-stage presentation |
|
5-Year Survival |
~67% overall; >90% in childhood ALL; lower in AML/CLL |
Higher in children (urban); adults show variable, often lower outcomes |
|
Key Subtypes |
AML, CLL, ALL, and CML care are common; ALL is most frequent in children, while AML is the most common adult leukemia globally |
Same subtype distribution; ALL is most common in children, AML is most common in adults |
Why Choose Denvax CAR T-Cell Therapy for Leukemia?
Denvax CAR T-Cell Therapy is an advanced technique to treat leukemia with precision and fewer side effects by using your body’s immune cells. It works where traditional treatments may fail. Here’s why more patients are choosing this advanced therapy:
Genetic mutations, radiation exposure, smoking, exposure to specific chemicals like benzene, prior treatment, and certain inherited genetic diseases are risk factors for leukemia. However, the precise reason is not always understood. The disease won't strike everyone with risk factors.
Smoking is a known risk factor, particularly for acute myeloid leukemia. Benzene and other carcinogens found in tobacco smoke can harm bone marrow cells and raise the risk of developing cancer.
Survival rates depend on the leukemia type, patient age, and response to treatment. For example, childhood ALL has survival rates exceeding 85-90% with modern treatment.
Unlike solid tumors, leukemia is not staged using TNM. Instead, its classification is based on the type (acute vs. chronic) and lab findings such as blood counts, bone marrow biopsy results, and organ involvement.
No, leukemia is not contagious and cannot spread from person to person.
Yes, in some cases, leukemia may relapse after remission. Regular follow-up and maintenance therapy help detect and manage recurrences early.
Certain forms of leukemia, particularly in children, can be cured with prompt and efficient treatment, such as bone marrow transplantation, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or targeted medications. The leukemia's kind, stage, and general health of the patient all affect the likelihood of a cure.
Although it is not always possible to entirely prevent leukemia, you may be able to reduce your risk by adopting certain lifestyle changes, such as quitting smoking, limiting your exposure to dangerous chemicals like benzene, and keeping your immune system strong.
