Acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), a type of blood cancer, causes damage and possible death by crowding the normal blood cells in the bone marrow and will eventually spread to other organs. ALL is commonly found in children but also found in adults and if left untreated can be fatal. The risk of getting ALL goes up in people age 45 and will go up again as you grow older. There are over 5000 people expected to be diagnosed with ALL in year 2008.
Effects of ALL
There is short term and long term effects living with ALL and it will be emotionally, physically and financially straining them. While living with ALL, your abnormal blood cells crowd around other cells in the bone marrow. This prevents your body from producing red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets causing many problems in their future such as anemia, and more infection.
Other acute lymphocytic leukemia symptoms are:
* Swollen lymph nodes
* Dyspnea
* Bleed more easily
* Enlarged liver or spleen
Diagnosing ALL
There are many tests that doctors use to diagnose ALL and the tests they use will depend on other factors such as your age, the severity of the symptoms. The tests given are blood work, a bone marrow biopsy, cytogenetics, imaging tests and more.
Treatment
Chemotherapy is the primary treatment for this disease varying in length and number of drugs involved. Clinical trials are another often used option that allow doctors to continue to learn about and improve treatments for ALL.
If you are experiencing some or all of acute lymphocyctic leukemia symptoms then you need the right legal guidance. Please contact a medical attorney today. There are experienced and trustworthy people who can give you the legal support you deserve.
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