Leukemia

Dr. Azra
Individual
 What is Cancer
• The American Society of Cancer defines cancer as a group of diseases that are
characterized by uncontrolled growth and spread of abnormal cells.

• Normal functions of the body carried out by healthy cells but cancer cells stop
behaving normally

• Normal cell divide rapidly to supply the new growth necessary to replace the
injured cells in the body then return to normal rate of division. But in cancer
cells start dividing haphazardly.

• Which lead to mass of the cell called tumor

• Cancers behave differently depending upon the organ in which they originate
 BLOOD CANCER
• Blood cancer can affect blood, bone-marrow and lymph nodes.

• People with blood cancer have abnormal production of blood cells

particularly WBCs
 Leukemia
• Leukemia don’t have a tumor to point out because it is cancer of
blood cells

• Leukemia begins in the stem cells present in the bone marrow

• Stem cells have property to divide and form new cells of any tissue
type.
 So, What are the blood cells
• Our blood comprises of several of cells which include:-
1) Red blood corpuscles
• which are used to carry oxygen from lungs to different parts of the body.

2) White blood corpuscles-

• They help in fighting against infections.

3) Platelets
They are actually fragments of cells which helps in clotting of blood at the sight of
wound.

• All the blood cells are made inside a bone specifically in the Bone marrow.
 How It Starts
• Every once in a while something goes wrong during the process of
‘stem cell specialization’ and harmful ‘Genetic mutations’ occur.

• Some Damaged cells ignore the instructions of ‘Self Destruction’ and

keep on Replicating.

• Such cells are called CANCER CELLS.

• In case of Leukemia any of the blood cell starts multiplying rapidly

and taking over the entire bone marrow.
 WHAT PROBLEM THEY CAUSE?
• All these multiplying cells do not perform their respective functions.

• They waste the energy of body in making unwanted cells and even
they occupy large space in bone marrow that leaves very little space
and food for healthy cells.

• This leads to decreased number of blood cells in the blood flow.

• when leukemia cells ran out of space in the bone marrow they start
leaking out in the blood flow.
 SYMPTOMS OF BLOOD CANCER

• DUE TO DECREASE IN LEVEL OF RBCs

1) Fatigue- since brain does not get appropriate amount of oxygen
2) Weakness
3) Shortness of breath
4) Paler look- due to decreased red blood cells which impart a red
colour to the blood.
• DUE TO DECREASED PLATELETS
1) No clotting leading to prolonged bleeding.
 SYMPTOMS OF BLOOD CANCER

• DUE TO DECREASED WBCs

1) Frequent or increased susceptibility to infections.

• Weight loss
• Pain in bones
 CAUSES
• Different leukemia has different causes
• Ionizing radiations
• Viruses (HIV, HTLV-1)
• Benzenes and Petrochemicals
• Hair dyes
• Electromagnetic Energy
• Genetic Predisposition
• Down Syndrome
 Research
• Disruption of STAT3-PRL-3 regulatory loop could be a promising
treatment for cancer

• Researchers created a core signature for STAT3 by analyzing large

datasets in the literature. Using this core signature, they established
that STAT3 was significantly enriched in Blood cancer patients with
high PRL-3 expression.
 Research
• Using mouse and human cells, they found that STAT3 binds to and
promotes the production of PRL-3 in cells, and reducing levels of
STAT3 lowered PRL-3 levels and diminished the malignancy of
leukemic cells.
• They conclude that disruption of this regulatory loop may be a
promising way to treat leukemia and that PRL- 3 could be a possible
biomarker in personalized therapy for blood cancer patients.
 TREATMENT OF CANCER
• Some of the common avenues of treatment.

• Other than chemo and radiotherapy,

• the conventional modes of treatment for blood cancer include attempts at stem cells
and bone marrow transplantations.

• Herbal deals in leukemia/blood cancer cure.

• Certain herbs, at least two varieties of herbs known by the names of 'Garcinia
Mangostana' and 'xanothenes' have been found to be effective with respect of
leukemia.
• The herbs and compounds based on them have reflected intrinsic potential of growth
inhibiting features.