Despite improvements in the effectiveness of therapy, children’s illnesses still impose an immense impact on morbidity and death. Among such childhood cancers is leukaemia, a white blood cell cancer that begins in the bone marrow (Whiteley et al., 2021). In the last few decades, a substantial shift has occurred in how childhood leukaemia is treated. Nowadays, this formerly deadly illness is treated in 90 percent of young patients (Whiteley et al., 2021). However, the prevalence of childhood leukaemia in the U.S. has been growing yearly along with this advancement in therapy (Whiteley et al., 2021). Consequently, the healthcare system should not simply settle for better care and, instead, put more emphasis on preventive interventions for this condition due to the side effects of therapy and the psychological and financial consequences to parents and children.
A hematopoietic precursor cell endures several genetic alterations that lead to the development of acute myeloid leukaemia. Many aberrant, underdeveloped myeloid cells build up in the stem cells and peripheral circulation due to such modifications to healthy hematopoietic differentiation and development (Whiteley et al., 2021). Most people with leukaemias that develop slowly and are at an early stage do not exhibit any signs. Weakness, weight loss, recurrent infections, and frequent bleeding or swelling are all possible signs of leukaemias that develop quickly (Whiteley et al., 2021). Specific leukaemia therapies can result in long-term health issues with the thyroid, heart, or lungs, among other issues (Whiteley et al., 2021). The kind and potency of the therapies the patient has will determine this. The prognosis for children and adolescents with leukaemia is favorable with the right therapy. Many cases of childhood leukaemia remit completely, with rare cases reaching 90% (Greaves, 2018). Overall five-year survival rates for children with leukaemia have improved over time and are currently approximately 70% (Greaves, 2018). As a result, despite childhood leukaemia being a disease with higher morbidity and mortality rates, children still have better prognoses and chances for survival.
References
Greaves, M. (2018). A causal mechanism for childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. Nature Reviews Cancer, 18(8), 471-484. Web.
Whiteley, A. E., Price, T. T., Cantelli, G., & Sipkins, D. A. (2021). Leukaemia: A model metastatic disease. Nature Reviews Cancer, 21(7), 461-475. Web.