Our bodies are made up of billions of little things called cells. Each cell has a different job to do. Red blood cells give our body energy, white blood cells fight disease, and platelets help the body stop bleeding after a cut. Some cells do not grow properly, they are called cancer cells and do not behave like normal cells. In leukemia, the white blood cells that fight the infection are the ones that don't grow as expected and can't do their job. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”?Get the original essayEach blood cell begins its life in the bone marrow as a hematopoietic stem cell, and this hematopoietic stem cell is responsible for creating of all the different cells in the blood. In order to function properly, all cells go through a maturation process. Thus, they eventually become mature specialized cells. However, hematopoietic stem cells can mess up and produce an immature blast cell that is strange and does not mature like a normal cell. When the gene mutates and stops working as it should, then that cell stops maturing as it should. This is the first thing that happens with leukemia. Because of this, the patient finds himself in a situation where he has many immature blast cells and very few mature specialized cells. The bone marrow is a confined cavity and there is a very limited amount of space, nutrients and growth factors, and these cells inside the bone marrow are constantly replenishing these resources. Leukemia cells divide very quickly, they take over all these resources, and this is why hematopoietic stem cells do not create more normal cells. Genetic mutation occurs due to radiation, carcinogens and chromosomal translocations, which is an error made during cell division, during which part of the chromosome is moved to another chromosome. For this reason, several genes are affected and many leukemias are associated with chromosomal translocation. In adults, approximately 90% of cases of leukemia are diagnosed, the most common being acute myeloid leukemia and chronic lymphocytic leukemia. For the diagnosis of leukemia, the following tests may be performed: A physical exam during which the doctor will look for physical signs such as an enlarged liver, spleen, and swollen lymph nodes. Blood tests to look for abnormal levels of red or white blood cells or platelets. This may indicate leukemia. Also, a bone marrow test, where a sample of bone marrow is taken and sent to the laboratory to look for leukemia cells. This sample can identify the type of leukemia and its growth rate. Biopsy of other organs such as the liver and spleen can show if the cancer has spread. Acute leukemia develops very quickly, so the person with acute leukemia may begin to feel sick and show signs and symptoms within weeks, not years but weeks. of the leukemia that forms. Chronic leukemia develops very slowly, so patients with chronic leukemia can sometimes go years without having any symptoms. Fever or chills, easy bleeding or nosebleeds, night sweats, fatigue, and persistent weakness are the main symptoms of leukemia. In addition, patients with.