CHILDREN WITH leukaemia may present with bleeding, enlarged lymph nodes (swollen glands in the neck, groin), anaemia and a diminished ability to fight infection.
Dr. Joye Taylor, haematologist explained that these symptoms are produced because white cells, produced in the bone marrow, are cancerous in the case of leukaemia and are rapidly dividing but they do so at the expense of other normal blood products such as the red blood cells and platelets.
The platelets' main function is to arrest bleeding, but their production tends to be compromised in leukaemia and so Dr. Taylor said that children present with bleeding (for example, gum bleeds, nose bleeds, bleeding under the skin).
Red blood cells' production are also affected in leukaemia and so the children tend to be anaemic, presenting with shortness of breath and tiredness. They may also present with infection because Dr. Taylor said that the white cells are abnormal and their ability to properly fight infections is compromised.
Sometimes, they can get lymph node enlargement because the cells can infiltrate the lymph nodes, liver, spleen and other areas of the body.
Types of leukaemia
THE BONE marrow produces a large amount of abnormal white blood cells in the case of the cancer known as leukaemia. The large numbers of abnormal cells enter the blood stream but cannot defend the body against infections, as normal white blood cells usually do.
Leukaemias are either acute, that is developing rapidly, or chronic, developing slowing but most children develop acute forms of leukaemia.
The acute forms are either acute lymphocytic leukaemia (ALL) or the non-lymphocytic form often referred to as acute myelogenous leukaemia (AML). Most children develop ALL and generally they develop the disease between ages two and eight. AML may be found among young children but is more a disease of teenagers.
Risk factors are unclear, though treatment for other cancers can cause secondary leukaemia and children with some illnesses such as Down's syndrome appear to be at an increased risk.
