Essay about Leukemia And Stem Cells - 1172 Words

Today, the topic of stem cells is a highly discussed, controversial one. It seems as though there is always something being said about new findings in stem cell research and what will be done with the newly-found information. One of the most conversed aspects of stem cell research is how stem cells can be used to treat potentially life-threatening conditions. Leukemia is one of the conditions being researched along with how stem cell therapy could help benefit the patients with it. In order to fully understand what is going on in the world of stem cell and leukemia research, one must first know what stem cells are and what leukemia is. Leukemia is a cancer of the white blood cells, and leukemia cells form in the bone marrow like other†¦show more content†¦Though it is possible to live through leukemia, sometimes the treatments and transplants do not work and the patients die. The treatment of leukemia also depends on the type being attended to. Patients with acute leukemia need immediate treatment, usually maintenance therapy. Maintenance therapy destroys the signs of leukemia in the body. Patients with chronic leukemia may choose watchful waiting—an option that involves not getting treated right away, but instead waiting until the treatment is needed. Chronic leukemia is rarely cured with chemotherapy, but stem cell transplants offer hope in curing the disease. Stem cells are cells whose roles in the body have yet to be determined. They have the potential to differentiate into specialized cells, and every type cell in the body forms from stem cells. This ability to differentiate into other cells is what characterizes stem cells. Before the stem cells begin the process of differentiating, they divide to make new, undetermined, stem cells. Stem cells differentiate by receiving signals to activate certain genes to make new proteins, which will determine how the specialized cell will look and behave. The two types of stem cells are embryonic and adult. Embryonic stem cells are that of an embryo, or a group of stem cells that will eventually develop into a fetus if implanted into a woman’s womb. These stem cells are totipotent,Show MoreRelatedHematopoietic Stem Cells to Cure Leukemia980 Words   |  4 Pages Hematopoietic Stem Cells to Cure Leukemia Genetic Engineering consists in altering the DNA of a cell with the purpose of researching, as well as correcting genetic defects. (learn.genetics.edu) One of the human bodys cells has the ability to grow into any one of the bodys more than 200 cell types and this is called Stem Cells. They are not specialized and unlike mature cells, they can renew themselves and create new cells. Stem cells have a great potential, but extremely limited is theRead MoreStem Cells And Its Effect On The Human Body1407 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction Stem cells are unspecialized cells of a multicellular organism and it has capability changing into any type cell. When stem cells divides, the new cell has the potential of choosing whether to stay a stem cell or turn into any type of specialized such as: skin cells, neurons, muscle cells and many more. Stem cells have no specific function but are special in their own way. In the early stage of the development, stem cells have the extraordinary potential to develop into any type of cell in theRead MoreEssay about Leukemia and Its Treatment843 Words   |  4 Pages Leukemia is something that we hear about a lot. I believe that people do not understand exactly what leukemia is and how dangerous it can be, I chose this topic to try to help them understand. In this paper I will explain what leukemia is and what treatments you can choose from to treat the cancer. Leukemia is a type of cancer. Cancer is a group of more than 100 diseases that have two or more important things in common. One is that certain cells in the body become abnormal. Another is that theRead MoreInformative Speech About Leukemia1279 Words   |  6 PagesLymphoblastic Leukemia. Here is a question for you, how many people in the united states do you think get leukemia in a year? According to the American Cancer Society, 43,000 people in the united states are diagnosed with leukemia each year. After today, you will know more information about leukemia. The following content I will be discussing is leukemia, what it is and different treatments. Leukemia as a risk factor of death among children. What is Leukemia? Acute lymphoblastic leukemia also knownRead MoreToo Many Diagnosed with Leukemia1325 Words   |  5 Pagesdiagnosis of leukemia (Gould Dyer, 2011). Leukemia is a cancer of the white blood cells. Bone marrow the spongy tissue inside the bone is where the blood cells are made (The Leukemia Lymphoma Society). Normal white blood cells fight infections in our bodies. In leukemia, the bone marrow is making abnormal white blood cells. The two main types of white blood cells that leukemia affects are; lymphocytes and myeloid cells (The Leukemia Lymphoma Society). Lymphoblasts are the young cell that willRead MoreFacts, Types, and Effects of Leukemia Essay1243 Words   |  5 Pagesof abnormal, mutated cells in the body. Yet perhaps the more routine understanding of the disease is its seriousness regarding an individual’s health. Cancer comes in numerous differing forms that collectively hold cancer as the second leading cause of death in the United States ac cording to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention. An array of cancers can affect any organ system in any person no matter the gender, age, or race. One chronic form of cancer is leukemia. At its basics, The NationalRead MoreEssay on Leukemia: Cancer of the Blood1639 Words   |  7 Pagesthe digestive and respiratory systems, and delivering those vital elements to different cells of the body. In exchange of the blood and oxygen, blood then picks up wastes from the cells for delivery to the urinary organs. These functions could not be provided for the individual cells without the blood. Like any other structure of the body, blood can be attacked by many types of disease, such as Leukemia. Leukemia is a general name given to a number of blood cancers that affect the blood. Blood transportsRead MoreLeukemia Cancer Outline668 Words   |  3 Pageswas diagnosed with Acute Myelogenous Leukemia two days later. II. (Information Hunger) Here isquestion for you, how many people in the United States do you think get leukemia in a year? According to the American Cancer Society, 43,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with leukemia each year III. (Purpose) After my speech today, you will know more information about leukemia. IV. (Thesis) The following content I will be discussing is about leukemia, what it is and different treatmentsRead MoreAcute Lymphocytic Leukemia - Essay1716 Words   |  7 PagesAcute Lymphocytic Leukemia Multiple forms of leukemia are present in today’s children. The four major forms of childhood leukemia include Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia, Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia, Acute Myelogenous Leukemia, and Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia. Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML) is cancer of the bone and bone marrow (â€Å"Acute Myelogenous Leukemia† 1). Compared to AML where 10% of AML patients are children, Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia accounts for 80% of all childhood acute leukemia’s.Read MoreTaking a Look at Leukemia800 Words   |  3 PagesAccording to the Leukemia Society Lymphoma Society, leukemia â€Å"is a type of cancer that affects the blood and bone marrow, the spongy center of bones where our blood cells are formed. The disease develops when blood cells produced in the bone marrow grow out of control.† Leukemia typically begins in the white blood cells which serve as potent infection fighters (Leukemia). However, when people have leukemia, this part o f the immune system doesn’t work properly. The white blood cells are considered