La i-leukemia ngumdlavuza wezicubu ezibhekene nokwakha igazi, okungamaseli egazi angavuthiwe atholakala ku- umkantsha (= okuthambile, into enesiponji enkabeni yamathambo amaningi).

Lesi sifo siqala ngokungajwayelekile ekwakhekeni kwamaseli egazi emnkantsheni wethambo. Amaseli angajwayelekile (noma amaseli wegazizande futhi zande inani lamaseli ajwayelekile, zivimbele ukusebenza kwazo ngokufanele.

Izinhlobo ze-leukemia

Kunezinhlobo eziningana ze-leukemia. Zingahlukaniswa ngokwejubane lokuqhubeka kwesifo (acute noma esingelapheki) futhi ngokuya nge- ama-stem cells kusuka emnkantsheni wethambo lapho bakhula khona (i-myeloid noma i-lymphoblastic). I-leukemia imvamisa ibhekisa kumdlavuza wamaseli amhlophe egazi (ama-lymphocyte nama-granulocyte, amaseli abhekele ukuzivikela emzimbeni), yize eminye imidlavuza engajwayelekile ingathinta amangqamuzana abomvu egazi nama-platelets.

I-leukemia enamandla:

Amaseli egazi angajwayelekile akakhulile (= ukuqhuma). Azenzi umsebenzi wazo ojwayelekile futhi zanda ngokushesha ngakho-ke lesi sifo siqhubeka ngokushesha futhi. Ukwelashwa kufanele kube nolaka futhi kusetshenziswe ngokushesha ngangokunokwenzeka.

I-leukemia engapheli:

Amaseli athintekayo avuthwe ngokwengeziwe. Zanda kancane kancane futhi zihlala zisebenza isikhathi esithile. Ezinye izinhlobo ze-leukemia zingabonwa iminyaka eminingana.

Umdlavuza wegazi we-Myeloid

Iyakuthinta ama-granulocyte namaseli wama-stem egazi atholakala emnkantsheni wethambo. Benza amangqamuzana amhlophe egazi angajwayelekile (myeloblasts). Kunezinhlobo ezimbili ze i-myeloid leukemia :

• I-acute myeloid leukemia (AML)

Leli fomu leukemia liqala kungazelelwe, imvamisa ngezinsuku noma amasonto ambalwa.

I-AML iyindlela ejwayelekile kakhulu ye-leukemia ebucayi ezinganeni nasezindala.

I-AML ingaqala nganoma yisiphi isikhathi, kepha kungenzeka ukuthi ikhule kubantu abadala abaneminyaka engama-60 nangaphezulu.

• Isifo i-myelo Natural leukemia (CML)

La isifo esingelapheki somdlavuza wegazi ubizwa nangokuthi i-leukemia engapheli ye-myelocytic ou i-leukemia engamahlalakhona eyimbudumbudu. Lolu hlobo lwe-leukemia lukhula kancane, ngaphezu kwezinyanga noma ngisho neminyaka. Izimpawu zalesi sifo zivela njengoba inani lamaseli we-leukemia egazini noma umnkantsha wethambo landa.

Kuyindlela ejwayelekile kakhulu ye-leukemia engapheli kubantu abadala abaphakathi kweminyaka engama-25 nengama-60. Kwesinye isikhathi ayidingi ukwelashwa iminyaka eminingana.

Umdlavuza wegazi weLymphoblastic

I-lymphoblastic leukemia ithinta ama-lymphocyte futhi ikhiqize ama-lymphoblasts. Kunezinhlobo ezimbili ze-lymphoblastic leukemia:

• I-leukemia enamandla ye-lymphoblastic (BONKE)

Leli fomu leukemia liqala ngokuzumayo futhi liqhubekele phambili ngokushesha ezinsukwini noma emasontweni ambalwa.

Futhi ubizwa i-leukemia enamandla ye-lymphocytic ou i-acute lymphoid leukemia, kuyindlela ejwayelekile kakhulu ye-leukemia ezinganeni ezisencane. Kunezinhlayiya eziningana zaleli fomu leukemia.

• I-lymphoblastic leukemia engapheli (CLL)

Lolu hlobo lwe-leukemia luvame ukuthinta abantu abadala, ikakhulukazi abaphakathi kweminyaka engama-60 nengama-70. Abantu abanalesi sifo kungenzeka bangabi nazimpawu noma zimbalwa kakhulu zeminyaka bese kuba nesigaba lapho amangqamuzana e-leukemia akhula khona ngokushesha.

Izimbangela ze-leukemia

Izimbangela ze-leukemia aziqondakali kahle. Ososayensi bayavuma ukuthi lesi sifo siyinhlanganisela yezici zofuzo nezemvelo.

Ukuvama

ECanada, indoda eyodwa kwabangu-53 nowesifazane oyedwa kwabangu-72 uzoba nomdlavuza wegazi esikhathini sabo sokuphila. Ku-2013, kulinganiselwa ukuthi abantu baseCanada abangama-5800 bazothinteka. (I-Canadian Cancer Society)

EFrance, i-leukemia ithinta cishe abantu abangama-20 unyaka nonyaka. I-leukemia ibanga cishe i-000% yomdlavuza wobuntwana, ama-29% awo angama-acute lymphoblastic leukemias (BONKE).

Ukuxilongwa kwe-leukemia

Ukuhlolwa kwegazi. Ukuhlolwa kwesampula yegazi kungathola ukuthi amazinga wamangqamuzana amhlophe egazi noma ama-platelets angajwayelekile, kusikisela i-leukemia.

I-bone marrow biopsy. Isampula lomnkantsha osuswe enqulwini ungathola izici ezithile zamaseli we-leukemia angasetshenziswa ukuphakamisa izindlela zokwelashwa kwalesi sifo.