User:Mirandalgreen/sandbox

Childhood Leukemia Article Resources

Here are links for the articles I am thinking of using to update the Childhood leukemia page. The bold text is the section I plan on updating with the articles.

General Information
<"Childhood leukemia is a type of leukemia, usually acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), and a type of childhood cancer that affects white blood cells.The cure rate of childhood leukemia is generally higher than adult leukemia, approaching 90%, although side effects of treatment last into adulthood. ALL is most commonly seen in boys between the age of 3-5. Leukemia is a hematological malignancy or a cancer of the blood. It develops in the bone marrow, the soft inner part of bones where new blood cells are made. When a child has leukemia, the bone marrow produces white blood cells that do not mature correctly. Normal healthy cells only reproduce when there is enough space for them. The body will regulate the production of cells by sending signals of when to stop production. When a child has leukemia, the cells do not respond to the signals telling them when to stop and when to produce cells, regardless of the available space."

My addition:

that affects white blood cells

ALL is most commonly seen in boys between the age of 3-5

I also moved a sentence regarding old treatments down to the treatment section.

References: 6. https://www.stjude.org/disease/acute-lymphoblastic-leukemia-all.html

Causes
"The exact cause of most cases of childhood leukemia is not known. Most children with leukemia do not have any known risk factors. Research by Melvyn Greaves suggests childhood leukemia is caused by a two-step process, starting with a prenatal genetic mutation and then exposure to infections.His research concluded that childhood leukemia and other autoimmune disorders could be prevented by priming the gene mutation. This would need to occur within the first year of life in order to prevent the cancerous cells growing later in life. There also appears to be some evidence linking childhood leukemia to x-ray exposure. In a 2010 study by the University of California, Berkeley’s School of Public Health, researchers found that children with acute lymphoid leukemia (ALL) had almost twice the chance of having been exposed to three or more X-rays compared with children who did not have leukemia."

My addition:

His research concluded that childhood leukemia and other autoimmune disorders could be prevented by priming the gene mutation. This would need to occur within the first year of life in order to prevent the cancerous cells growing later in life.

References:

7. "Leading UK scientist reveals likely cause of childhood leukaemia." Obesity, Fitness & Wellness Week, 9 June 2018, p. 2777. Academic OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com.ccclibrary.idm.oclc.org/apps/doc/A541206541/AONE?u=clackamasccl&sid=AONE&xid=14cef043. Accessed 27 July 2018.

Treatment
"The treatment a child will undergo is based on the child's age, overall health, medical history, their tolerance for certain medications, procedures, and therapies, along with the parents' opinion and preference.[citation needed] The older aggressive treatments of cranial irradiation and anthracyclines (such as doxorubicin) caused increased risk of solid tumors, heart failure, growth retardation, and cognitive defects. Treatment today is broken down into three sections; Induction, Consolidation/Intensification and Maintenance. Induction is intended to kill the cancerous cells. Consolidation/Intensification is used to kill any remaining cells that have the potential to become cancerous. Maintenance is used to kill any cells that are still remaining. There are four specific types of treatments that are used within the sections above, those include Chemotherapy, Stem cell transplant, Radiation therapy and Targeted therapy.


 * Chemotherapy is a treatment that uses drugs to interfere with the cancer cells ability to grow and reproduce. Chemotherapy can be used alone or in combination with other therapies. Chemotherapy can be given either as a pill to swallow orally, an injection into the fat or muscle, through an IV directly into the bloodstream, or directly into the spinal column.[citation needed]


 * A stem cell transplant is a process by which healthy cells are infused into the body. A stem-cell transplant can help the human body make enough healthy white blood cells, red blood cells, or platelets, and reduce the risk of life-threatening infections, anemia, and bleeding. It is also known as a bone-marrow transplant or an umbilical-cord blood transplant, depending on the source of the stem cells. Stem cell transplants can use the cells from the same person, called an autologous stem cell transplant or they can use stem cells from other people, known as an allogenic stem cell transplant. In some cases, the parents of a child with childhood leukemia may conceive a saviour sibling by preimplantation genetic diagnosis to be an appropriate match for the HLA antigen." Radiation therapy uses various types of radiation to get rid of the cancerous cells and prevent them from enlarging. Targeted therapy is the use of medication to specifically kill the cancerous cells. The medication is able to leave healthy normal cells alone while it targets the cancer.

My addition:

Moved this sentence from overview, I think it fits better under the treatment section- "The older aggressive treatments of cranial irradiation and anthracyclines (such as doxorubicin) caused increased risk of solid tumors, heart failure, growth retardation, and cognitive defects."

Treatment today is broken down into three sections; Induction, Consolidation/Intensification and Maintenance. Induction is intended to kill the cancerous cells. Consolidation/Intensification is used to kill any remaining cells that have the potential to become cancerous. Maintenance is used to kill any cells that are still remaining. There are four specific types of treatments that are used within the sections above, those include Chemotherapy, Stem cell transplant, Radiation therapy and Targeted therapy. Radiation therapy uses various types of radiation to get rid of the cancerous cells and prevent them from enlarging. Targeted therapy is the use of medication to specifically kill the cancerous cells. The medication is able to leave healthy normal cells alone while it targets the cancer.

References: 6. https://www.stjude.org/disease/acute-lymphoblastic-leukemia-all.html

Neurological
Survivors of ALL are at risk for various neurocognitive and neuropsychological issues that effect their quality of life. These include issues with attention span, vision, processing speed, memory, growth failure, malnutrition, obesity, reduced fertility, psychiatric problems and early death. All of the latent effects listed impact patients and create a low quality of life. Lower quality of life is directly related to depression and other psychiatric problems.

Emotional
"Main article: Cancer survivor Childhood leukemia is a very taxing disease, on the caregiver and the child. The emotional distress and post traumatic stress which it causes is very deep; studies show that only 3% of parents have to deal with their child becoming severely ill. It is common to experience stress, depression, and anxiety throughout and after cancer treatment. Many people find it helpful to talk about their feelings with family and friends, health professionals, other patients, members of the clergy, and counselors or therapists. Being part of a support group can provide another outlet for people to share their feelings. Relaxation techniques, such as guided imagery and slow rhythmic breathing, can also help to ease negative thoughts or feelings. Reaching out to others, by participating in volunteer activities, can help people to feel stronger and more in control."

'''My addition: ''' Added heading for emotional effects, and the whole section of neurological effects

References:

Kalafatçılar, Ayşe İpek, et al. "Assessment of Neuropsychological Late Effects in Survivors of Childhood Leukemia." Pediatric Hematology & Oncology, vol. 31, no. 2, Mar. 2014, pp. 181–193. EBSCOhost, doi:10.3109/08880018.2013.803212.

Kunin‐Batson, Alicia, et al. "The Contribution of Neurocognitive Functioning to Quality of Life After Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia." Psycho-Oncology, vol. 23, no. 6, June 2014, pp. 692–699. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1002/pon.3470.