Eosinophilic leukemia is a disease involving an abnormal concentration of eosinophils in the body, with two forms: acute and chronic. Diagnosis is confirmed by elevated eosinophil levels, absence of other reasons, and organ function problems. Treatment includes chemotherapy and stem cell transplant.
Eosinophilic leukemia is a broad category of diseases involving an abnormal concentration of eosinophils in the body. Eosinophils are a type of white blood cell that fights parasites and allergic reactions. There are two forms of eosinophilic leukemia: acute and chronic. Acute eosinophilic leukemia (AEL) is a form of acute myeloid leukemia (AML), while chronic eosinophilic leukemia (CLE), also known as hypereosinophilic syndrome, is a condition in which eosinophils grow out of control in the body.
A diagnosis of eosinophilic leukemia is confirmed by three factors. Indicators of this disease include a high level of eosinophils that remain elevated over a period of time, the absence of allergic or parasitic reasons for the elevated levels, and problems with organ function due to these high levels. Patients suffering from these conditions will need further medical tests to determine if they have eosinophilic leukemia.
The next step towards diagnosis is a bone marrow biopsy and aspiration. A biopsy is used to remove a small amount of solid tissue, while aspiration removes a sample of the fluid from inside the bone marrow. A pathologist examines the samples to make a positive diagnosis. When the bone marrow contains high levels of eosinophils, the most common type of leukemia is CEL, however a large number of immature cells, called blasts, in the sample indicates that the condition is acute, rather than chronic.
The chronic form of eosinophilic leukemia, CEL, develops when there are large numbers of eosinophils within body tissues, such as bone marrow, or in the blood itself. It is possible to have too many of these cells without getting cancer. This condition is more common than AEL and is known as secondary eosinophilia. Individuals with CEL can remain healthy for years or acute leukemia could develop rapidly. The disease can be managed long-term with the use of the drug Gleevac®.
Acute eosinophilic leukemia is rare and develops when eosinophilic cells overlap and make up 50-80% of the bone marrow. These cells typically do not occur in peripheral blood. This means that a diagnosis is made through examination of the bone marrow.
As a type of AML, AEL has similar symptoms and treatment. A person with this condition may experience joint and bone pain, shortness of breath, and fatigue as the normal amount of normal blood cells cannot be produced. As with other forms of AML, AEL is treated with chemotherapy and, if that fails, a stem cell transplant.
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