Friday, June 5, 2009

Acute Myelogenous Leukemia: The Most Common Form of Leukemia

By Laurette Langerstein

The most common leukemia is the acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). It is a fast growing cancer of the blood and bone marrow. In the body there are blood cells are made up of platelets known as white and red blood cells. With acute myelogenous leukemia you dont have enough white or red blood cells and instead possess abnormal cells that will get bigger as the illness progresses.

According to current statistics, there are approximately 11,900 new cases of acute myelogenous leukemia diagnosed each year in the United States. Studies indicate that AML is not genetic or contagious. These studies also show that the average age of a person dealing with AML is 65 years. Benzene exposure is a factor in the development of acute myelogenous leukemia.

What is Benzene?

A chemical compound, benzene is highly flammable and is a recognized carcinogen. Although its use in gasoline has been minimized, it has turned into an essential solvent for industrial purposes. It is used in the production of synthetic rubber, plastic and certain drugs. Exposure to benzene has been linked to the development of acute myelogenous leukemia and other types of cancer.

Benzene exposure can lead to health complications such as:

*Different forms of cancer, primarily leukemia

*Development of anemia

*Confusion and dizziness

*Immune system functioning below normal

Symptoms of AML

Patients who suffer from acute myelogenous leukemia are commonly unaware that they have been exposed to benzene. This is exposure often occurs through accidental ingestion or inhalation due to the nature of their work, or in their immediate surroundings. Benzene exposure over a prolonged period of time can result to acute myelogenous leukemia and other fatal diseases, which are sadly oftentimes diagnosed too late for the fatal end-results to be reversed.

Patients who have acute myelogenous leukemia experience the following symptoms:

*Joint or bone pain

*Fatigue and shortness of breath

*Repeating infections

*Abdomen swells

About the Author:

No comments:

Post a Comment