Leukaemia Archives

Leukaemia Revolution in treatment of chronic lymphoblastic leukaemia

November 30, 2020 Word for Word Media

Dr Philippa Ashmore tells us how chronic lymphoblastic leukaemia is now managed with increased emphasis on personalised and chemotherapy-free treatments. Chronic lymphoblastic leukaemia (CLL) is the most common leukaemia in the western world. This blood/bone marrow cancer is most often seen in older patients, although younger patients can be affected, with a higher rate in men compared to women. How does chronic lymphoblastic leukaemia develop? The CLL cell is an immune system cell, called a B-lymphocyte, that becomes cancerous. This happens at a stage of development before the immune cell can make normal and healthy antibodies, resulting in a very dysfunctional…

Leukaemia Chronic myeloid leukaemia

March 20, 2019 Word for Word Media

#SpreadTheHope

Haematologist, Dr Michael Cass, educates us on chronic myeloid leukaemia. What is chronic myeloid leukaemia? Chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML), also called chronic myelogenous leukaemia, is a chronic (long-term and slow-growing) type of leukaemia. Leukaemia is a cancer of white blood cells which originates in the bone marrow (blood-forming organ of the body). CML results in an increase in the number of immature blood cells in the bone marrow. These cells also spill out of the bone marrow into the blood and accumulate in the spleen. CML is sometimes discovered incidentally in an asymptomatic patient who has a blood test done for an unrelated reason. Symptoms When it is symptomatic,…

Leukaemia The miracle match – bone marrow transplant

September 26, 2018 Word for Word Media

#SpreadTheHope

The chance of finding a matching bone marrow donor for a critically ill patient is just one in 100 000. But thanks to medical technology, shared international databases and the spirit of global cooperation, the South African Bone Marrow Registry (SABMR) regularly finds that perfect match. For a child or adult with a life-threatening blood disease, like leukaemia, a bone marrow transplant can offer the greatest gift imaginable: a second chance at life. Bone marrow transplantation is unique medical work. It involves destroying an individual’s entire immune system and replacing it with one from somebody in the general population who’s…

Leukaemia The gift of life – bone marrow transplant

July 27, 2018 Word for Word Media

#SpreadTheHope

Johan Drotskie shares how an unrelated bone marrow transplant saved his life. Johan Drotskie (47) lives in Randburg, Gauteng with his wife and their four-legged kids. Wednesday, 30 July 2003 The day had finally arrived. My family is gathered anxiously in the hospital room as we await the arrival of my unrelated donor bone marrow. A middle-aged gentleman enters the room with a cooler bag, extracts a drip bag with 100ml of bone marrow which he connects. An hour later, I have new bone marrow, a new chance at life and a brighter future. Late 1994/early 1995 I decided to…