What triggers leukemia in adults?

While the exact cause of leukemia—or any cancer, for that matter—is unknown, there are several risk factors that have been identified, such as radiation exposure, previous cancer treatment and being over the age of 65.
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What causes leukemia later in life?

Genetic and environmental factors may play a role. Depending on the type of leukemia, there is evidence that exposure to radiation and toxins — such as tobacco smoke and benzene — may increase the risk. Certain health conditions can also contribute.
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What puts you at high risk for leukemia?

People exposed to high doses of radiation (from the explosion of an atomic bomb, working in an atomic weapons plant, or a nuclear reactor accident) have a heightened risk of developing leukemia. Long-term exposure to high levels of solvents such as benzene — in the workplace, for example — is a known risk factor.
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What were your first signs of leukemia?

Early Symptoms of Leukemia
  • Fatigue.
  • Loss of appetite.
  • Bone/joint pain.
  • Headaches.
  • Fever, chills.
  • Unexplained weight loss.
  • Night sweats.
  • Abdominal discomfort.
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How does leukemia start?

Leukemia starts when the DNA of a single cell in your bone marrow changes (mutates). DNA is the “instruction code” that tells a cell when to grow, how to develop and when to die. Because of the mutation, or coding error, leukemia cells keep multiplying.
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LEUKEMIA, Causes, Signs and Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment.



Can you suddenly get leukemia?

Doctors may classify leukemia as either acute or chronic. Acute leukemia comes on suddenly, and the cancerous cells multiply rapidly. Chronic conditions result from slowly developing cancer cells, and it may take years before a person experiences any symptoms.
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What are the symptoms of leukemia in adults?

Common leukemia signs and symptoms include:
  • Fever or chills.
  • Persistent fatigue, weakness.
  • Frequent or severe infections.
  • Losing weight without trying.
  • Swollen lymph nodes, enlarged liver or spleen.
  • Easy bleeding or bruising.
  • Recurrent nosebleeds.
  • Tiny red spots in your skin (petechiae)
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Can leukemia be prevented?

Although the risk of many adult cancers can be reduced by lifestyle changes (such as quitting smoking), there is no known way to prevent most childhood cancers at this time. Most children with leukemia have no known risk factors, so there is no sure way to prevent these leukemias from developing.
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Can leukemia be caused by stress?

Clinical and epidemiological studies have shown that stress-related biobehavioral factors are associated with accelerated progression of several types of cancer, including solid epithelial tumors and hematopoietic tumors such as leukemia (Antoni et al., 2006; Chida et al., 2008).
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What chemical causes leukemia?

The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has determined that benzene causes cancer in humans. Long-term exposure to high levels of benzene in the air can cause leukemia, cancer of the blood-forming organs.
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What foods can help fight leukemia?

The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS) offers these general guidelines for foods to eat:
  • a variety of vegetables, including legumes.
  • whole fruits.
  • whole grains.
  • fat-free or low fat dairy.
  • a variety of proteins, such as seafood, lean meats, poultry, beans, soy, and eggs.
  • healthy oils, like olive oil.
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What is the first stage of leukemia?

Stages of Chronic Leukemia

Stage 1 – A patient has high levels of white blood cells and enlarged lymph nodes. Stage 2 – A patient has high levels of white blood cells and is anemic. He or she may also have enlarged lymph nodes. Stage 3 – A patient has high levels of white blood cells and is anemic.
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What can be mistaken for leukemia?

Leukemia is commonly misdiagnosed as the following conditions:
  • Influenza.
  • Fever.
  • Pathological fracture.
  • Bleeding disorders.
  • Immune thrombocytopenic purpura.
  • Trypanosomiasis.
  • Autoimmune lymphoproliferative syndrome.
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Can leukemia in adults be cured?

As with other types of cancer, there's currently no cure for leukemia. People with leukemia sometimes experience remission, a state after diagnosis and treatment in which the cancer is no longer detected in the body. However, the cancer may recur due to cells that remain in your body.
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Does leukemia run in families?

Leukemia is generally not considered a hereditary disease. However, having a close family member with leukemia increases your risk of chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
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How can you reduce the risk of leukemia?

There is no known way to prevent leukemia, but avoiding tobacco and exposure to pesticides and industrial chemicals might help. The future of medicine, today.
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What does leukemia pain feel like?

Bone pain can occur in leukemia patients when the bone marrow expands from the accumulation of abnormal white blood cells and may manifest as a sharp pain or a dull pain, depending on the location. The long bones of the legs and arms are the most common location to experience this pain.
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What disease has the same symptoms as leukemia?

  • Alcoholism.
  • Alzheimer's Disease.
  • Amenorrhea.
  • Amyloidosis.
  • Anorexia Nervosa.
  • Bulimia Nervosa.
  • Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.
  • Cirrhosis.
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Does leukemia make you cold?

Pale Skin

When your body develops leukemia, the cancer damages blood cells, so your body has a hard time growing healthy blood cells. You may develop anemia, and one of the big symptoms of anemia is pale skin. Your hands may also feel cold to the touch.
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Is leukemia curable if caught early?

Leukemia is the cancer of the blood-forming tissues that includes bone marrow and lymphatic system. Adults and children are equally affected by Leukemia, which is seen as production of abnormal white blood cells by the bone marrow.
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How long do you have leukemia before symptoms?

The signs or symptoms of leukemia may vary depending on whether you have an acute or chronic type of leukemia. Acute leukemia may cause signs and symptoms that are similar to the flu. They come on suddenly within days or weeks. Chronic leukemia often causes only a few symptoms or none at all.
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Can you live 20 years with leukemia?

People in stages 0 to II may live for 5 to 20 years without treatment. CLL has a very high incidence rate in people older than 60 years. CLL affects men more than women. If the disease has affected the B cells, the person's life expectancy can range from 10 to 20 years.
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Is banana good for leukemia?

Bananas. Bananas can be a great dietary addition for those recovering from cancer. They're not only easy to tolerate for those with swallowing difficulties but also a good source of many important nutrients, including vitamin B6, manganese, and vitamin C ( 15 ).
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Is exercise good for leukemia?

Summary: A new study suggests that exercise may be an effective way to combat the debilitating fatigue that leukemia patients experience. One of the most bothersome symptoms of leukemia is extreme fatigue, and asking these patients to exercise doesn't sound like a way to help them feel better.
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What juice is good for leukemia?

Beetroot-carrot juice is used as a complementary and or/alternative therapy used in conjunction with conventional leukemic treatment (chlorambucil) that has been a standard first-line chemotherapeutic agent for patients with CLL and known to have serious and undesirable side-effects.
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