Hairy cell leukemia is a type of blood cancer that occurs when the bone marrow makes too many white blood cells called lymphocytes. Although hairy cell leukemia typically progresses very slowly, it can eventually lead to serious problems such as...
Hairy cell leukemia is the rarest of five types of leukemia (the other four being chronic, acute, lymphocytic and myelogenous). It is a slow-progressing cancer of the blood or bone marrow. Hairy cell leukemia attacks a type of B white cell that...
Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma describes a group of cancers that develop from a specific type of white blood cell known as a lymphocyte. Lymphocytes, usually concentrated in the lymph nodes, spleen and bone marrow, play an important role in protecting the...
Blood contains a liquid portion, known as plasma, which consists of 90 percent water, according to the Franklin Institute. The plasma functions to carry the different types of blood cells, including red cells that carry oxygen, white cells that...
White blood cells, also called leukocytes, function to protect the body from foreign invaders such as bacteria and viruses. Five major types of white blood cells exist, each performing important functions in the immune system. An adult's normal...
A decreased appetite occurs when you have a diminished desire to eat food. Appetite suppressants are drugs that induce a loss of appetite so you eat less and lose weight. Other drugs may have side effects that decrease your appetite. As a result...
The bone marrow is a tissue inside flat, irregular-shaped bones and the long bones. There is yellow bone marrow and red bone marrow. Yellow, only found in the long bones of adults, contains fat cells. Red bone marrow contains stem cells that give...
White blood cells, also called leukocytes, are the portion of the blood responsible for fighting infections. There are five types of white blood cells--neutrophils, eosinophils, basophils, lymphocytes and monocytes--and each plays an important...
During the time that a fetus is 9 to 28 weeks old, blood cells form in the spleen. After birth, the spleen keeps a supply of blood, which it releases into circulation if the blood pressure gets low. It removes old red blood cells and stores iron...
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia or CLL is different from acute forms of leukemia in that initially, it behaves less aggressively. It may have a prolonged phase during which the disease progresses slowly or not at all. However, unlike the acute...
Cancer immunotherapy can be divided into three popular categories--interleukin, interferons and genetic therapy. According to the National Cancer Institute, there are many studies defending the use of the body's own immune system to fight diseases...
Chemotherapy (also known as chemo) is the use of drugs to kill cancer cells or stop cancer cells from growing and dividing. According to the book "Clinical Oncology," the first clinical trial investigating the effectiveness of chemotherapy in...
Adult leukemia can take many forms. Common variants include acute lymphoblastic, chronic lymphocytic, acute myeloid and chronic myelogenous leukemia. Rarer variants such as T cell leukemia and hairy cell leukemia are also known. These variants all...
There are many diseases associated with the spleen. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health, or NIH, the spleen is an important part of a person's immune system. The spleen, which is approximately...
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a degenerative condition, or one that worsens with time, caused by damage and destruction to the central nervous system, most specifically the covering of nerves called myelin. Myelin acts much like insulation on wires,...
Lymphoproliferation describes the over-production or abnormal activity of lymphocytes. Lymph nodes are located in your neck, armpits and groin. Lymphocytes are white blood cells that make up your immune system, including antibody-producing B cells...
There are several important medical conditions associated with the spleen. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health, the spleen is part of the lymphatic system, which wards off infection and balances...
Cancer refers to a debilitating and potentially fatal condition in which cells grow at a really fast rate. This increase of cells can lead to tumor formation. Signs of cancer include fatigue, chills, night sweats, weight loss and a fever. Drugs...
Amyloidosis is a rare and potentially deadly condition in which abnormal proteins build up in your organs, which can lead to organ failure. These abnormal proteins, called amyloid proteins, do not come from an excess of protein in the diet, but...
Cancer refers to an unrelenting growth of cells in the body. Cancerous cells are also known as malignant cells. MedlinePlus indicates that sunlight, tobacco, viruses, radiation and mushrooms can lead to cancer. Signs of cancer include...