Essay --

Niall Killian Killian 1 Samson 6 Leukemia Leukemia is cancer of the blood cells; it starts in the bone marrow which is the soft tissue inside most bones where blood cells are made. When you are healthy your bone marrow makes red and white blood cells. Red and white blood cells help your body fight infection and carry oxygen to all parts of your body. When you have leukemia, the bone marrow makes a unusual amount of abnormal white blood cells known as leukemia cells. Leukemia cells don't work like normal white blood cells, they grow faster and they don't stop growing when they should. Over time, the leukemia cells crowd out and outnumber the normal blood cells which can lead to serious problems such as anemia, bleeding, and infections. Leukemia cells can also spread to the lymph nodes or other organs causing serious swelling and pain. Many wonder how one acquires leukemia and is it genetic. The answer is yes and no, various connections between heredity and leukemia has been found due to the few Leukemia causing factors that are inherited. Scientists have researched to see if there is any connection with external causes, but there is no relationship between external causes and leukemia. The cause for leukemia is still unknown. An experiment was conducted in the UK in 2010 where they tested if leukemia was more common in males or females. In males, it is the 9th most common cancer and in females it was the 10th most common cancer. That year there were 8,257 new cases of leukemia in the UK, 4,816 were men and 3,441 were women. It varies for age groups as well. 62% of cases were diagnosed in men and women over the age of 65, and only 10% were diagnosed to men and women under the age of 35. The reason why Leukemia is more common i... ...p 1 and gap 2. Due to this the cell divides at a unnatural rate and causes many mutations. Cancer always starts with just one cell dividing at a rapid rate due to external or genetic factors, and while genetic factors are uncontrollable, most forms of cancer can be avoided by for example using sunscreen to avoid UV rays or choosing not to smoke. Some cancers are simply not avoidable like Leukemia, but if you keep a close eye on it, it is treatable especially if it is caught early. The symptoms of Leukemia are good indicators that your body is not healthy, so you shouldn’t pass off confusion, vomiting, or seizures as anything not important especially if you have a family history of cancer. Over 38,000 patients are diagnosed with leukemia each year and it can happen to anybody, so regular blood tests are highly recommended because the sooner you find out, the better.