New Delhi, Sep 4 (IANS) On World Leukemia Day on Wednesday, experts said that blood cancer cells can travel to the brain through the bloodstream, causing serious neurological problems including blurred vision, abnormal facial twitching and numbness.
Let us tell you that World Leukemia Day is celebrated every year on 4 September to raise awareness about this disease.
Leukemia is blood cancer. In this disease, there is a rapid growth of abnormal blood cells. This disease affects the cells whose job is to make blood and carry oxygen in the body.
Leukemia most often occurs in adults over the age of 55, but it is also the most common cancer in children under 15.
“Leukemia can affect a person in multiple ways in terms of neurological symptoms. It can cause neurological symptoms by directly attacking the central nervous system (CNS),” Dr Praveen Gupta, Director and Head, Department of Neurology, Fortis Hospital, told IANS.
Symptoms may include headache, vomiting, fever, double vision or visual blurring, facial paresthesia, abnormal facial twitching, numbness, and weakness in the arms and legs.
“In addition, leukemia-related inflammation can impede blood flow to the brain, which can lead to poor neurological outcomes. Whenever leukemia has CNS effects, it becomes a complex problem and requires immediate treatment,” Gupta said.
According to the recently published GLOBOCAN 2022 report, leukemia is the most common type of blood cancer in India with 49,883 cases reported in a year.
According to the report, the biggest challenge faced by patients suffering from this disease in India is that they are not able to get blood for treatment related to the disease during this disease.
Ranjit Kumar Sahu, medical oncologist at AIIMS, New Delhi, told IANS, “Leukemia is curable. They are mainly of two types – acute and chronic. Chronic leukemia does not require immediate treatment.
Whereas, acute leukemia requires immediate medical attention. They can be cured with chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and other therapies.
–IANS
DKM/GKT
