Eosinophilic Leukaemia

Cancer is an incurable disease that involves abnormal cell growth, which spreads to other parts of the body. More than a hundred types of cancers could affect the human body. It’s not curable but could be treated with chemotherapies and other treatments. Leukaemia group of cancers that are related to the blood cells. Leukaemia is out of various types. They are categorised based on how quickly cancer grows and which type of blood cells are affected. Eosinophilic leukaemia is a specific type of leukaemia related to white blood cells known as eosinophils.

Leukaemia

Leukaemia is a collection of blood cancer that starts in the bone marrow and produces many abnormal blood cells. The blood cells produced or not completely developed are known as Leukaemia cells. The symptoms of Leukaemia include bone pain, fatigue, bruising, and increased score infections. These symptoms are observed in people who lack normal blood cells. 

The Leukaemia diagnosis can be made by blood test or bone marrow biopsy. However, the exact cause of Leukaemia is not known. A lot of environmental and genetic factors are believed to contribute to Leukaemia. Leukaemia is classified into acute and chronic based on how quickly cancer grows.

Eosinophilic Leukaemia

Eosinophilic Leukaemia is caused when many white blood cells called eosinophils get produced in an individual with blood cancer. The eosinophils are a type of white blood cell that responds to infections mostly involving parasites and are also involved in allergic reactions. They constitute about 5% of the white blood cells.

Eosinophilic Leukaemia is a cancer in which the eosinophils in bone marrow, blood, and other tissues of the body increase in great numbers. The normal level of eosinophils should be around 350 to 500 sales per cubic millimetre.

Eosinophilic Leukaemia symptoms

People who have Eosinophilic Leukaemia may not always show any signs or symptoms. Most of the time, Eosinophilic Leukaemia is detected during regular blood tests. However, when the patient shows the following symptoms, they may have Eosinophilic Leukaemia.

• Fever and night sweets could be observed in the patient.
• The patient could experience shortness of breath and fatigue.
• The itching is caused more in patients with Eosinophilic Leukaemia than in normal people.
• Experiencing muscle pain could also be a symptom of Eosinophilic Leukaemia.
• Diarrhoea and swelling under the skin are seen among Eosinophilic Leukaemia patients.
• Eosinophilic Leukaemia patients are easily bruised, and minor injury could also lead to bleeding.
• The enlarged spleen is also a symptom of Eosinophilic Leukaemia.

Chronic Eosinophilic Leukaemia is cancer in which too many eosinophils are seen in the bone marrow and blood of the patient, and this cancer spreads more quickly.

The chronic Eosinophilic Leukaemia symptoms are:

• Skin and mucosal lesions.
• Peripheral neuropathy
• Cardiac symptoms are also possible in patients with chronic eosinophilic Leukaemia.
• Splenomegaly is pretty common in cases with the FGFR1 and PDGFRB mutations.
• Lymphadenopathy is seen with the FGFR1 mutations.

The diagnosis of Eosinophilic Leukaemia

• CBC: The CBC or the complete blood count can increase the number of different blood cells like Eosinophils in the blood sample.
• Bone marrow biopsy: A sample of bone marrow is collected in the bone marrow biopsy, and its examination is done under the microscope to detect cancerous changes.
• Molecular testing: The genetic changes that are associated with Eosinophilic Leukaemia can be detected with the help of molecular testing.

The treatment of the Eosinophilic Leukaemia

Following are the various ways used to treat Eosinophilic Leukaemia;

• Chemotherapy: In chemotherapy, the cancerous cells are killed, and their growth is slowed down. The drugs used in the chemotherapy of Eosinophilic Leukaemia include hydroxyurea and Cytoxan.

• Corticosteroids: These drugs can help reduce the activity of the immune system. Hence, the activity of the eosinophils can be inhibited with the use of corticosteroids.
• Stem cell transplant: In this method to treat Eosinophilic Leukaemia, the cells in the bone marrow, which include cancer, as well as the healthy cells. Later the patient will receive an infusion of stem cells from which new healthy blood cells could be developed.

Conclusion:

Cancer is a fatal disease with no cure and is of many types. Cancer that is associated with the blood cells is called Leukaemia. There are 4 major types of Leukaemia, and the survival rate for each is different. Eosinophilic Leukaemia increases the number of eosinophils in the blood and bone marrow. The eosinophils are a type of white blood cell. Eosinophilic Leukaemia can be detected with CBC or bone marrow biopsy. The Eosinophilic Leukaemia symptoms include muscle pain, night sweats and fever with cough, easy bleeding or brushing, and an enlarged spleen.