Leukemia is often referred to as a cancer of the blood. So what is a cancer.
Cancer is a disease caused by an uncontrolled division of abnormal cells in a part of the body.
So in Leukemia this abnormal cell production is to do with white blood cells, usually called leukocytes there are 5 main types of white blood cells or leukocytes. Each one performs a different function.
The white blood cells are the soldiers of the body fighting off infections.
The different white blood cell types are:
- Neutrophil. These make up most of the white blood cells in the body. About 54–62% of the total white blood cell count( wbcc). Neutrophil cells target fungi and bacteria.
- Eosinophil. account for about 1-6% of the total wbcc in the body. They mainly target parasitic infections. And modulate allergic inflammatory responses such as hay fever
- Basophil. Account for less than 1% of the wbcc. The are responsible for release of histamine for inflammatory responses
- Lymphocyte. Account for 28-33% of the wbcc. Lymphocytes are much more common in the lymphatic system. There are 3 different types of Lymphocytes: B Cells (releases antibodies and assists activation of T cells), T Cells (play a central role in cell-mediated immunity) and Natural Killer Cells ( play a major role in the rejection of tumors and cells infected by viruses.).
- Monocytes. Account for 2-10% of the total wbcc. They can be considered the vacuum cleaner of the blood and share the function of neutrophils, but are much longer lived as they have an additional role: they present pieces of pathogens to T cells so that the pathogens may be recognized again and killed, or so that an antibody response may be mounted. Monocytes eventually leave the bloodstream to become tissue macrophages which remove dead cell debris as well as attacking microorganisms. Neither of these can be dealt with effectively by the neutrophils.
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