Acute lymphoblastic leukemia is one of the most common types of cancer affecting children According to Alexander Rumyantsev president of the Dmitry Rogachev National Medical Research Center for Pediatric Hematology Oncology and Immunology three to four out of every ten children diagnosed with cancer are affected by this form of leukemia
Specialists explain that acute lymphoblastic leukemia is the most common disease even among blood related cancers Because of this it has become a model for developing modern treatment approaches Over the past decades doctors have developed well established therapies mainly based on medication since these tumors cannot be treated effectively with surgery or radiation therapy alone
In this disease lymphoblast cells accumulate in the bone marrow which suppresses the production of important blood cells These include red blood cells responsible for carrying oxygen white blood cells that help protect the body from infection and platelets that are necessary for normal blood clotting
A lack of red blood cells can lead to anemia with symptoms such as fatigue pale skin weakness drowsiness shortness of breath and rapid heartbeat A decrease in platelets may cause bleeding or bruising while a shortage of white blood cells can lead to frequent infections
Lymphoblast cells may also accumulate in lymph nodes causing them to enlarge They can sometimes spread to other organs including the liver spleen skin ovaries in girls testicles in boys and even the cerebrospinal fluid
The early symptoms of acute lymphoblastic leukemia can resemble flu like symptoms and may include frequent infections persistent fever ongoing fatigue bone pain enlarged lymph nodes pale skin bruising or bleeding breathing difficulties headaches and enlargement of the liver or spleen
Doctors emphasize that when leukemia is diagnosed managing symptoms becomes an important part of the overall treatment process Supportive or palliative care helps improve quality of life and assists patients during therapy Parents are advised to inform doctors about any symptoms their child experiences as well as any changes or new signs that appear since these details play an important role in diagnosis and treatment planning
