Leukemia Survival Rate for Adults

Leukemia is a term for a type of cancer that denotes an abnormality of blood cells. The blood cells that are healthy and normal are made up of fluids called plasma, and these blood cells as referred to as red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. Red blood cells are responsible carriers of oxygen and carbon dioxide to and from the cells of the body. White blood cells are known to fight infection countered by the body. The platelets are responsible in forming blood clots to curb excess bleeding. Blood cells are produced in the bone marrow. The bone marrow is the soft and spongy part situated in the middle of the bones. In case of adults, the bone marrow is found in the hips, ribs, spine and the skull. The onset of leukemia is marked by the formation of abnormal blood cells. The leukemia cells are immature cells that look starkly different from the healthy and normal cells.

Types of Leukemia

There are two kinds of abnormal white blood cells that cause leukemia. If the cancer cells are lymphoid, the disease is called lymphocytic leukemia. If on the other hand, the cancer cells are myeloid cells, the disease is myelogenous leukemia. Leukemia may also be classified as acute or chronic. Acute leukemia cancer cells are immature blasts and grow quickly. Chronic leukemia cells are a combination of immature and mature cells, with their growth being considerably slower. There are essentially six types of leukemia. The classification is based on the cancer cells type and the growth rate of the cells. The five different types are:

• Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia or ALL - This type of leukemia is most common in children. However, in some cases, adults over the age of 65 could also be victimized.
• Acute Myelogenous Leukemia or AML - This class of leukemia, in a majority of cases, affects adults, and is extremely rare in children. It is also called acute non-lymphocytic leukemia and abbreviated as ANLL.
• Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia or CLL - This leukemia usually affects adults who are above 55 years of age. It is rarely found in younger adults.
• Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia or CML - This leukemia affects adults and is extremely rare in children.
• Hairy Cell - A form of leukemia that is very rare in children and adults.
• Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia - Yet another form of leukemia that affects children and adults in extreme rarity.

Defining the Leukemia Survival Rate

Leukemia survival rates are usually expressed by the percentage of survivors, precisely 5 years after the diagnosis. The five year survival rate precisely measures and states whether patients have few or no signs of the cancer, are cured completely, and are off the disease, or are still in the need to undergo treatment. Medical advancements and technology up-gradation has increased the AML leukemia survival rate which is found in the majority of adult cases. The leukemia survival rate has been 25% approximately for adults. However, there has been a marked increase in the survival rate in the leukemia patients, where ALL has risen to 35%, and for patients affected by AML, the survival rates are reaching 40%, these being approximate values.

Factors Affecting Leukemia Survival Rate

Age - This factor has a negative effect on the 5 year survival rate, because, where older patients are concerned, they are at an escalated risk of not surviving AML or ALL. It is estimated that 20% of patients who die due to AML are under 55 years of age. On the other hand, the rate goes up to 80%, for patients who are affected by ALL or AML when they are older than 55. Thus, the bottom line remains that the younger the patient, the better are the chance of survival. This could also reflect towards the fact that younger individuals can cope better when chemotherapy and strong medications are administered.

Cytogenetics - The chromosomal structure of the leukemic cells could also impact the survival rate. Three risk categories can be discerned, they are - good, intermediate and poor. About half of the AML patients falls in the intermediate category. The five year survival rate is 70%, 48% and 15% respectively, for each category.

Overall Fitness and Prior White Blood Cell Count - These are also the two essential factors that affect the AML leukemia survival rate. A good immunity system, physical strength, and white blood cell count before cancer, are factors that judge the true chances of survival.

As aforementioned in the article, advancements in the medical fraternity would prove fruitful in increasing the survival rate of leukemia patients. There, indeed, is great hope.