How Systemic issues in the Bone Marrow Can Lead to Leukemia
The term cancer is used to describe a disease in which cells divide uncontrollably, often leading to the production of blocks that merely die and form tumors. Leukemia is one such type of cancer, caused by a systemic issue related to the bone marrow’s function of producing blood cells. Here, the problem does not stem from poor blood circulation but more on the poor quality of the blood circulating throughout the body.
How Does Leukemia Happen?
Under normal circumstances the bone marrow produces three types of blood cells, the red blood cells, the white blood cells and the platelets. Each type performs a specific function, although the red blood cells (RBCs)have greater significance. RBCs carry the oxygen and nutrients diffused in the tissues of different body parts during blood circulation. It goes without saying that it’s important for the bone marrow more to produce more red that white blood cells and platelet.
The function of the white blood cells (WBCs) is to protect the tissues against infection caused by any toxic or harmful substances that find their way into tissue cells. The function of the platelets, on the other hand, is to help the blood coagulate or clot to prevent excessive blood flow when blood vessels break as a result of injury.
Yet because of still undetermined causes, the bone marrow might produce more WBC stem cells than RBC stem sells, As stem cells they tend to divide and generate new cells . As a result, the abundance of WBCs will crowd the RBCs and the platelets creating abnormality in blood composition. The lack of RBCs flowing into tissues denotes that different body parts will not receive enough supply of oxygen and nutrients needed in order to function properly.
Since the excessive WBCs diffused will have no use, they simply die. Over time they form tumors that metastasize or spread out into different body parts and eventually, affect the way vital organs work.
While leukemia may be diagnosed as chronic or acute, the classification merely depends on how fast the mutation of the white blood cells happen. Moreover, the treatment recommended depends on the type of white blood stem cells or the whie mother cells dividing uncontrollably into new white cells.
Here improving blood circulation is not the immediate health concern since blood cell production is the main problem, and which takes place in the bone marrow. Metabolic wastes like acids, carbon dioxides and substances that cannot be broken down (free radicals) are known to affect the production of blood cells in the bone marrow, which recent studies revealed, are linked to obesity.
Other studies of leukemia causes show that certain risk factors include:
- Overexposure to chemical substances;
- Exposure to radiation;
- Hereditary health disorder
While eating food and taking supplements that contain high levels of antioxidants can help prevent the occurrence of cancer, it would be best to consult a physician if the symptoms enumerated below, are taking place altogether, as they are symptoms indicative that the bone marrow is encountering systemic issues.
- Chronic fever
- Constant feelings of debilitation or weakness;
- Increasing incidences of infections;
- Shortness of breath for no apparent reason;.
- Tendency to bleed profusely or bruise easily from minor injuries;