LEUKEMIA

Leukemia is a type of neoplasm that starts in the bone marrow, where blood cells are made, which leads to uncontrolled growth of abnormal white blood cells that interfere with normal blood cell production. As these abnormal cells accumulate, they impair oxygen transport, increase susceptibility to infections and reduce the body’s ability to control bleeding. Unlike other cancers, leukemia doesn’t generally form a mass that show up in imaging tests, such as X-Rays and CT scans. Proliferations of white cells, typically lymphocytes, that usually present as discrete tissue masses are called lymphomas. Originally, both these terms were considered separate medical entities but with increased understanding with time, these divisions have blurred. Many entities called “lymphomas” occasionally have leukemic presentations and evolution to “leukemia” sometimes arise as soft tissue masses without detectable bone marrow disease. Hence the terms leukemia and lymphoma merely reflect the usual tissue distribution of each disease at presentation. Leukemia is biologically distinct from solid tumours in several fundamental ways. Unlike solid cancers that originate as localized masses within specific organs, leukemia arises from hematopoietic stem or progenitor cells in the bone marrow and is inherently systemic from the outset. Malignant cells in leukemia circulate freely in the blood and infiltrate multiple organs, including the liver, spleen and lymph nodes, rather than forming a confined tumour mass. This diffuse nature eliminates the possibility of early detection through conventional imaging and makes surgical intervention ineffective, placing greater reliance on systemic therapies such as chemotherapy, targeted therapy and bone marrow transplantation. Furthermore, leukemia demonstrates unique molecular and genetic abnormalities, such as chromosomal translocations (e.g., the Philadelphia chromosome), which play a central role in its pathogenesis and classification. The global disease burden of leukemia remains significant and continues to evolve. It accounts for a substantial proportion of cancer incidence worldwide, particularly affecting both paediatric and adult populations. Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most common cancer in children, whereas chronic leukemias are more prevalent in older adults. According to global cancer statistics, leukemia contributes notably to cancer-related morbidity and mortality, with higher fatality rates in low and middle income countries due to delayed diagnosis, limited access to advanced therapies and inadequate healthcare infrastructure. Environmental factors such as radiation exposure, chemical carcinogens (e.g., benzene) and genetic predispositions further contribute to its incidence. Despite advances in treatment that have significantly improved survival rates in developed regions, disparities in outcomes persist globally.

To read full report, please download the attached file prepared by our team member, Aarushi Sharma(Pursuing MBBS), MacroEdtech