Chronic Eosinophilic Leukemia

Chronic Eosinophilic Leukemia – General Information

Leukemia is a form of cancer, so it consists of a number of associated diseases. All forms of cancer affect firstly the cells, then the blood and other organs and tissues in the body. A normal development of a cell consists of growth and division in new cells which the body needs. After a certain period, they die and new ones replace them. But in the case of cancer, this process goes completely wrong: a new number of cells develop when the body does not need them and before the old ones die. Leukemia is therefore a form of cancer which affects the blood cells. In a normal process, the blood cells appear and develop in the bone tissue, which is the soft substance in the middle of most of the bones. Immature cells are the blasts and the stem cells. When they grow and become mature, the cells move into the vessels. There are three types of cells which can form in the bone marrow and each of them has a function: the white cells defend the body from infections; the red cells deliver the needed quantity of oxygen throughout the body and platelets are responsible to control the bleeding. Eosinophils are a type of white cells which fight against allergies and infections. In Chronic Eosinophilic Leukemia, the number of these kinds of cells grows fast and affects the bone marrow, the blood and other tissues in the body. However, Chronic Eosinophilic Leukemia can stagnate for a long period of time.

Chronic Eosinophilic Leukemia – Symptoms

Although they are abnormal cells, the leukemia cells act like normal ones and they travel throughout the body and cause a number of problems and symptoms. The common symptoms of leukemia, which also appear in the case of Chronic Eosiniphilic Leukemia, are:

• Fever
• Frequent infections
• Night sweats
• Tiredness
• Weakness
• Headache
• Bleeding
• Bruising
• Pain (in the joints or bones)
• Swollen nodes (in the armpit or the neck)
• Discomfort in the abdominal area
• Weight loss

However, these symptoms are not necessarily signs of suffering from leukemia, especially not suffering from Chronic Eosinophilic Leukemia. They could indicate an infection, so the person who develops such problems should definitely consult a doctor for a proper diagnosis. This is extremely necessarily, as in its early stage, leukemia does not develop any important complications and the cells function normally for a long period of time. This happens especially in the case of Chronic Eosinophilic Leukemia, a form which is usually diagnosed during a routine check-up. There are, however, some particular signs which indicate this type of leukemia:

• High fever: the main risks when developing this symptom is dehydration. The common measure which should be taken is to drink a lot of fluids. There are some good parts however: the fever makes the organism fight more efficiently against the bacteria and viruses.
• Cough
• Muscle pain
• Diarrhea
• Itching

Although these symptoms do not seem to be severe, you should see a doctor in order to benefit of a certain diagnosis.

Chronic Eosinophilic Leukemia – Treatment

• Chemotherapy: consists of the administration of certain drugs, or a combination of drugs which will destroy the cancer cells in the body. Chemotherapy can be performed in different ways:
• By mouth
• By infections
• Through a tube which is inserted in a large vein; through this tube, the medicines are introduced in the body. This way, the patients avoid the injections which can cause discomfort and pain.
• Injection into the spine: the drugs are injected in the spinal column, in the lower part.
• Injection into the cerebrospinal liquid: this method is used only if some leukemia cells are founded in the spaces around the spinal cord and the brain.
• Ommaya reservoir: this method is used in the case of young patients, in order to avoid the pain caused by the injections in the spine.

Chemotherapy is performed in cycles: the patient goes through a treatment period and then through a recovery period.  Chemotherapy can be performed at hospital or even at home, if the patient’s general condition is good.

• Biological therapy: this method of treatment is used in order to improve the natural defense of the body and its fight against cancer. This therapy is also administrated directly into the veins, through injections.
• Radiation therapy: in this case, the doctor will use high-energy rays in order to eliminate leukemia cells. The radiations are directed to the brain, spleen or any other parts of the body affected by Chronic Eosinophilic Leukemia. This method can only be used in a specialized clinic or medical centre.
• Stem cell transplantation: after this kind of treatment, the patient can be administrated a larger number of drugs and radiations. The cells are replaced through a tube inserted in large vein. There are several kinds of cells which can be used during a transplantation:
• Peripheral cells
• Umbilical cord cells
• Cells located in the bone marrow

After such a procedure is performed, the patient needs to remain in the hospital. Although there are a lot of treatments available for treating Chronic Eosinophilic Leukemia, an optimal and completely effective treatment remains uncertain.