What Is Leukemia?

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Leukemia is a form of cancer that starts in the stem cells of the bone marrow that make blood cells. A bone marrow is the material that fills the center of most bones which is where blood cells are made. Leukemia is basically a blood cancer where the cells do not form properly. Leukemia is found in blood cells and since blood cells do not have chromosomes or DNA then they cannot divide or reproduce like somatic cells do. Blood cells form in the bone marrow and when too many blood cells form in the human body then Leukemia cancer is developed. There are three different types of blood cells that increase out of control and are produced in the bone marrow which are White blood cells [leukocytes], Red blood cells [erythrocytes] and Platelets. White blood cells are part of the immune system and help fight off infections. They too aid in the curing of sores, wounds and cuts. Red blood cells hold haemoglobin which carries oxygen and takes out carbon dioxide to and from the cells throughout different organs of the body. Platelets help poke holes in the blood vessels and form clots just as blood vessels are corrupted or damaged (What is Leukemia? par. 4 & 5).

When these cells in the bone marrow divide uncontrollably, they form more white blood cells than required and thus, lead to leukemia cancer. Leukemia is sometimes developed by genetic predisposition where studies researching family history look at twins who have indicated that some people have a higher risk of developing leukemia because of a single gene or multiple genes. (Silverstein 29)

Furthermore, Down syndrome is a genetic cause of Leukemia cancer. Normally, each human cell contains 23 pairs of different chromosomes. Each chromosome carries genes, which are needed for proper ...

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...es Leukemia Treatment Cost on Average?" How Much Does Leukemia Treatment Cost on Average? ChaCha Answers, 09 Feb. 2011. Web. 07 Mar. 2011. .

"Secondhand Smoke." Secondhand Smoke. USA Gov, 14 June 2007. Web. 07 Mar. 2011. .

Simmons, Jack. "Leukemia Topic Overview." Leukemia Topic Overview. Web. 07 Mar. 2011. .

"Statistics by Country for Leukemia." Statistics by Country for Leukemia. Stats 2011, 26 Jan. 2011. Web. 07 Mar. 2011. .

"What Is Leukemia?" What Is Leukemia? My Blogpost Wordpress, 31 May 2009. Web. 07 Mar. 2011. .

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