Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia free essay sample

The subject of Blood Cancer is very serious to me. Jamie stopped by my mom’s house over the weekend after learning that my younger brother had conquered leukemia. She asked me to tell her more about the cancer as far as what it is, what the symptoms are, and what kind of treatments are available. I told her I would explain what I know to her in the simplest way I can. I know first hand that there are three different major types of blood cancer, Leukemia, Lymphoma, and Myeloma. Nobody knows exactly why or how someone can get any of these blood cancers. I have a personal experience with a type of blood cancer called Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia or CML. My brother was diagnosed with leukemia at age 15. Throughout his treatment; he acquired meningitis, pneumonia, and graft-versus-host disease. â€Å"Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD or graft) is a common side effect of a bone marrow transplant (also called a BMT)†. We will write a custom essay sample on Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page (National Marrow Donor Program, 2008) I will not go into much detail about GVHD because I still really do not understand it. My brother developed vitiligo, a common skin disorder because of the graft. Vitiligo is a relatively common skin disorder, in which white spots or patches appear on the skin. These spots are caused by destruction or weakening of the pigment cells in those areas, resulting in the pigment being destroyed or no longer produced. † (Vitiligo Support International, 2008) During this whole ordeal, his doctors noted at least four different times where my brother was â€Å"not going to make it. † I chose to research this topic because I wanted to gain further understanding of the cancer besides the first hand knowledge I received while dealing with my brother’s situation. I also want to learn how it affects the body and what procedures and treatments are available to treat and possibly eliminate it. Jamie, remember all the fun you had when you were fifteen? Age fifteen, a time when teenagers are just beginning to be a teenager. They want to stay out later, hang out at the mall every weekend, and attend sleepovers. A person’s teenage years, some would think are supposed to be one of the many fun times of their lives. Going to school and living free, without having a care for the world. Some of us were rebellious, while others were quiet and studious. While most teenagers were living their lives, my brother at this age, was in the hospital for a very serious condition. He was diagnosed with Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (CML), which is cancer of the white blood cells, when he was 15. He was already in an advanced stage when we found out about it. He was walking his then-girlfriend home, and as he began to leave, 12 people, all men, jumped on him and beat him up really badly, simply because he was in the wrong neighborhood. About three days later, we noticed his stomach and side were swollen and protruding more than usual due to an enlarged spleen, but we thought it was from the fight. A week later, the swelling on his face did not recede, so our mom decided to make an appointment for him to see his doctor, Dr. Collins. Dr. Collins examined my brother and noticed his side was hard and swollen and told our mom there may be something wrong with his spleen. He thought my brother might have cancer so he ordered full blood work to have done. The results came back and my brother’s white blood cell count (wbc) was over 500,000. The average white blood cell count is 4,500-10,000 white blood cells/mcL (cells per microliter)† (Kosmix Right Health, 2008). The paramedics rushed him by helicopter, to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia where he was officially diagnosed with CML. Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia is a type of cancer that attacks the blood by multiplying abnormal blood cells throughout the bone marrow over time. It affects the way your body makes blood and provides immunity from other diseases. Having abnormal cells has two effects on the body. First, the white blood cells may not mature fully and properly as they develop. They may lack the ability to kill foreign bodies in the bloodstream. This defect seriously damages the immune system and the body loses its ability to fight off infections (Aetna IntelliHealth, 2006). When a person has leukemia, their body produces too many white blood cells. These cells are detrimental in helping the immune system fight off all kinds of viruses, diseases, and infections that may enter the body. Jamie I remember you asked me earlier today about the symptoms of CML. Well, there are several different symptoms that someone can experience but, because CML signs and symptoms tend to develop slowly, a person may not know they have it yet. People may tend to feel tired, have shortness of breath (even while doing everyday activities), pale looking skin, an enlarged spleen, night sweats, and weight loss. (de Villers, 2008) These are the symptoms my brother had, and they are the most common symptoms associated with CML. My brother had each of these symptoms for a while but they were not noticeable to us until after he was involved in that fight. Once a person has a positive diagnosis, usually through thorough blood testing, he/she is then informed about the many different treatment options available for removing leukemia. Depending on the stage and the condition of the patient’s body, these treatments may or may not be successful. Three of the most common types of treatment options available are chemotherapy, radiation, and bone marrow transplant. Chemotherapy, which is the use of drugs or chemicals; often is used in combinations to kill or damage cancer cells in the body. Radiation therapy or radiotherapy, works by damaging the genetic material (DNA) within cells, preventing the cells from growing and reproducing. â€Å"A bone marrow transplant is a procedure that transplants healthy bone marrow into a patient whose bone marrow is not working properly† (de Villers, 2004). Once these treatments become effective and successfully destroy the leukemia, the healing process begins. I remember my brother being tired all of the time and barely being able to do anything but lie in bed or sleep. With him being young in age, and his immune system not being strong enough to ward off attacks from viruses and bacteria, we had many more trials to experience before he was fully cured. After his bone marrow transplant, my brother developed meningitis pneumonia at the same time with a dangerous fever of 104 °. The doctors thought he would not make it through the night, but he is a trooper and he fought hard and won to make sure he lived to see another day. (K. Johnson, personal knowledge) My brother is the first and only cancer survivor that I know. He is my inspiration. To see him endure all that he went through with battling leukemia, he gave me a new outlook on life. He taught me that, no matter how hard a situation or circumstance may be, if you fight hard against it and remain positive, you will overcome it. He has been in remission since 2003 and has been cured since his 21st birthday in 2005. To my understanding, after a patient sustains successful treatment for cancer, they are considered cured if the cancer does not come back for at least five years. No traces of leukemia have been present in my brother’s system since early 2002. He has beaten the odds and has gotten back to living a normal life again. He will be 24 next month.