Leukemia Research Paper Essay

PART I: I personally know of a couple of skeletal diseases. I know of Leukemia, which is a type of cancer where white blood cells multiply in an uncontrolled manner, and the cause is unknown. I have also personally met someone with Leukemia, and it is not a slow-moving disease; he unfortunately died within a few years. I know of osteoporosis from the notes. It is a disease resulting in the loss of bone tissue. The cancellous bone loses calcium, becomes thinner, and may eventually disappear altogether. I don’t know if a fracture constitutes as a bone disease, but they can be Spiral, Closed, Open, or Multiple. One of the most well-known bone diseases is Arthritis. It is a disease of the joints; victims suffer pain, stiffness, and swelling of the joints. Many athletes will also show signs of Tendonitis, a disorder involving stiffness or pain in the muscles or joints. I want to find out more about Leukemia, the most relatable disease to me, and what symptoms the victims of it suffer. PART II: I am going to choose to research the skeletal disease of Leukemia, because it has personally affected me in my life. One of our close family friend’s children died of Leukemia when he was five. He had a very advanced form of Leukemia when he was born and it was a very sad time when he passed. I will more specifically be researching Juvenile Myelomonocytic Leukemia, the disease he suffered from. I am looking for treatment options, symptoms, and prevention abilities. PART III: I began my search by typing â€Å"Leukemia† into Google search and got many reliable sources. I chose a source from the Mayo Clinic that clearly defined the disease and had a brief synopsis of the disease. I also went to the Leukemia & Lymphoma society’s website and found a document on the specific type of leukemia I was researching. I also searched the symptoms of Leukemia and found a good source on Medicine Net. SOURCES: – http://www.lls.org/#/diseaseinformation/leukemia/jmml/ – http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/leukemia/DS00351 – http://www.medicinenet.com/leukemia/page5.htm#symptoms PART IV: I learned that Leukemia is a blood cancer that attacks the bone marrow and the Lymphatic system. I learned that many different types exist and treatment can be complex, depending on the type of Leukemia and other factors. I learned that Juvenile Myelomonocytic Leukemia is most commonly diagnosed in infants, much like my close friend. I didn’t know, but JMML is a very uncommon type of blood cancer and it only occurs in infancy and early childhood. I learned that symptoms can be fevers, frequent infections, swollen lymph nodes, weight loss for no reason, bleeding and bruising easily, and pain in the joints and bones. I learned that doctors diagnose Leukemia by physical exams as well as blood tests and biopsies. I learned that stem-cell transplantation could be used for treatment of this cancer. My friend had this done with the help of his younger brother, and actually went into remission for two years. I really learned a lot about this disease and have an enlightened perspective on Leukemia and its unfortunate victims.