The Facts on Childhood Leukemia

Leukemia is the most common form of cancer in children. It begins in early-forming blood cells. Typically, leukemia is a cancer affecting the white blood cells, but it can also be found in other blood cell types. Other childhood cancers, like neuroblastoma or Wilms tumor, begin in other organs, and then often metastasize to the bone marrow, but these are not types of leukemia. If your child has been diagnosed with any type of leukemia, Anton Bilchik is the oncologist to see for answers and recommendations on treatment.

All of the cells found in bone marrow are subject to developing into leukemia cells. Once this happens, the cells do not mature in the normal fashion. Instead, they may reproduce more rapidly than normal. They might not die when they normally would. This leads to a buildup of leukemia cells in the bone marrow, which squeezes out the normal, healthy cells. In most cases, the overflow of leukemia cells leach into the bloodstream rather quickly. The blood than carries it to other parts of the body, including the lymph nodes, liver, central nervous system and other organs. Once the leukemia cells have spread to other organs, it prevents the cells in those organs from performing efficiently.

Certainly a diagnosis of childhood leukemia is a devastating one. With proper care and treatment, the disease is not necessarily a fatal one. The age and overall health of the child, the type of leukemia, and the extent to which it has progressed are all important factors in determining the right course of action. Anton Bilchik can assess the situation and help you reach a decision on the proper treatment for your child.