Your Burning Questions about Leukemia Answered: Risks & Symptoms

“Leukemia is a blood cancer that starts off with mutation of the haematopoeitic stem cells in the bone marrow,” says consultant haematologist Dr Habibah Abdul Halim.

• ‘Haematopoetic’ is a word used to describe anything related to the creation of any blood cells, including red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelet.
• Meanwhile, stem cells are immature cells that act like blank canvases. Under the proper stimuli, they can differentiate into various types of cells as needed by the body.
• Hence, haematopoetic stem cells are precursor cells that can give rise to all the blood cells in our body—red blood cells, white blood cells, even the platelets.

“Leukemia, or blood cancer, develops when mutations occur in the genetic materials of these precursor cells,” Dr Habibah explains.

She elaborates: “These mutations will lead to changes in these cells in terms of their shape and/or size. These mutated cells will then divide uncontrollably and will lose their normal function.”