Benzene, a chemical found in gasoline, can cause leukemia — Aworanti

Doctor Oladapo Aworanti East A consultant hematologist And THE acting Zonal Director of National Blood Service Commission, South West Zonal Center. In This interview by SADE OGUNTOLA, he speak about leukemia, A blood And bone bone marrow cancer, challenges of It is management In Nigeria, And What Nigerians need has know about he. Excerpts:

W hat East leukemia And how common East that?

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Leukemia East A cancer of THE white blood cells (cells that struggle infection) which comes from Since THE bone bone marrow. THE bone bone marrow East THE site of blood cell training, And these cells emigrate In THE peripheral traffic After. There are three main types of cells In THE blood: red blood cells, white blood cells And SO pads (cells that help THE blood clot). These cells to have different functions And specific quantities. When there East cancer of THE white blood cells, he East referred has as leukemia. HAS This indicate, there East A increase In THE number of types of white cells implied (most of THE time) And A loss of functions. There are different types of leukemia base on THE type of white blood cells implied And THE beginning of THE illness.

SO in general, there are four major types of leukemia: acute (growth quickly) myeloid leukemia; acute (grows quickly) Lymphoblastic leukemia; chronic (growth slowly) myeloid leukemia And chronic (growth slowly) lymphocytic leukemia

Leukemia East relatively rare In OUR environment; he East A of THE high five most frequent cancers In males, After prostate, colorectal, non-Hodgkinian lymphoma And liver cancers, but not A of THE high five most frequent cancers In females. Leukemia constitutes about ten percent of all haematological malignant tumors (cancers that affect THE blood, bone bone marrow And lymph nodes).

According to has THE last WHO data published In 2020, leukemia death In Nigeria reached 2,257, Or 0.15 percent of total death. THE age-adjusted the death rate of 2.06 by 100,000 of THE population ranks Nigeria 151st In THE world.

How do leukemia affect A anyone?

THE white blood cells to have THE major function of struggle infections In THE body And Thus protect humanity. When there East leukemia, there East A loss of function, And This ability has struggle infection East hereby lost. THE individual East SO subject has all shapes of infection. In most case, When there East leukemia, there East A increase In number of white cells implied, which will affect THE production of other blood cells In THE bone marrow. These the patients will NOW to have A reduced number of red blood cells, functional white blood cells And platelets; This East called bone bone marrow failure. THE the patients will to have features suggestive of infections, anemia, And thrombocytopenia (A deficiency of pads In THE blood that results In bleeding problems). White blood cells are crucial For to counter infection. If white blood cells TO DO not work correctly, A person can develop frequent infections. THE immune system can attack THE the body own cells.

A few of these cells can Also infiltrate In organs as THE missed, liver And lymph nodes, SO there could be enlarged lymph nodes, A enlarged missed And A enlarged liver.

Also, because of THE anemia, there can be other symptoms such as faintness And dizziness, weakness, fatigue, shortness of breath of breath, body pain And A fast heartbeat.

What East THE main cause of leukemia?

THE cause of leukemia East not known most of THE time, although genetic troubles such as Down syndrome And Fanconi anemia are risk factors For acute leukemia. Other risk factors are exposure has radiation, contact with chemical products as benzene, which East find In gasoline And East used by THE chemical industry, pesticides, chemotherapy And a few viruses.

Scientists to have find connections between leukemia And miscellaneous factors, although more research East necessary has confirm most of them. They include A history of certain infections, such as THE Epstein-Barr virus, having A high Or weak birth weight, having parents WHO smoke the tobacco, having A cesarean section delivery Before work begin, A previous history of chemotherapy And having Already had A type of blood cancer.

However, most people with known risk factors don't do it get leukemia. And a lot people with leukemia to have none of these risk factors.

What are THE early warning panels of leukemia?

Leukemia can only be selected early if A routine verification East do; by THE time THE panels are selected, they are not early panels Again. Recurrent infections, generalized body weakness, tachycardia, fever, bleeding...