Leukemia Facts
Francis Magalona, Philippine King of Rapper passed away last March 6, 2009 due to leukemia. He died at the age of 44 after 8 months of battle against cancer.
It was August 2008 when he was diagnosed with leukemia and detected to have acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). It is a fast growing cancer of the blood and bone marrow. According to Medical and Health Encyclopedia, leukemia affects the blood-forming tissues, such as the bone marrow, resulting in an overproduction of white blood cells.
Doctors and scientists don’t understand the exact causes of leukemia. It seems to develop from a combination of genetic and environment factors. Exposure to high doses of radiation has been blamed for increasing the risk of leukemia.
Symptoms of leukemia includes fever, weight loss, fatigue, bone pain, anemia as expressed in paleness, and an enlarged spleen or masses under the skin caused by an accumulation of leukemic cells. There may be skin lesions and, as the disease advances, a tendency to bleed. Infections may become more common and less responsive to treatment because of a loss of the normal blood cells needed to resist disease.
Diagnosis of leukemia from early symptoms may be difficult because they resemble those of mononucleosis and other infection. Biopsies of bone marrow and careful blood studies usually identify leukemia.
Leukemia treatment includes chemotherapy, interferon therapy, radiation therapy, stem cell transplantation and surgery.
Francis Magalona has been completed four chemotherapy sessions and scheduled for bone marrow transplant. Unfortunately, he will not be able to do so because his body gives up and according to his doctor he is succumbed to multiple organ failure.
Rest in peace our Master Rapper, Francis Magalona.
March 8th, 2009 | Tags: leukemia | Category: Cancer
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