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Chronic Myelogenous Leukaemia

Blood is composed of several components -red blood cells that are used for carrying oxygen from one part of the body to another, white blood cells, which protect the body from harmful bacteria and viruses and platelets and plasma, which help in the clotting of the blood. Sometimes these cells start growing abnormally instead of functioning normally.

This abnormal growth is called a cancer. When the blood cells start growing abnormally, this disease is called a blood cancer. It is also known as leukaemia, which means white blood in Greek. One has to understand that one of the main functions of the body is producing a large number of healthy blood cells every day. These blood cells are produced in a regulated and methodical manner.

But sometimes, when something goes wrong with this normal and methodical production of blood cells, and instead abnormal cells are produced, the whole immunity system of the body goes completely haywire. That is the reason why the type of cancer has to be diagnosed and treated as soon as possible. There are two types of cancer, chronic leukaemia and acute leukaemia. In acute leukaemia, the cells start to multiply at astonishing rates of growth. But in chronic leukaemia the cancerous growth is quite slow. In chronic leukaemia, the number of lymphocytes is going to be increased, even though they are not functioning properly.

Chronic myeloid leukaemia shows some specific symptoms like in a spleen that is enlarged, fever and infections, weight-loss, sweating in the night, swollen lymph glands, vision problems and headaches. It is necessary that any individual who has been diagnosed with leukaemia of any sort, chronic or acute start getting a treatment immediately. Early stages can be cured. Others have gone into remission with the disease, not appearing again.