Leukemia and the Respiratory System:
To first understand how Leukemia affects the Respiratory System we must first understand what the Respiratory System is.
Respiratory System: The respiratory system is a group of organs that supply our bodies with oxygen. The most vital part of the respiratory system is the lung and the heart. (1)
Leukemia can have a large effect on the respiratory system. One of the main symptoms of leukemia can actually damage your lungs which is a crucial part of your respiratory system. However, Leukemia has a larger impact on the cirulatory system. For example when the human body tries to respire, the lung can inhale oxygen but the red blood cells path can be blocked by the white blood cells that are produced due to leukemia. This can prevent oxygen filled blood to travel around the circulatory system. In a sense due to the problems Leukemia causes in your Circulatory system it can affect the respiratory system drastically. Not only that a new drug that has been approved for the treatment of CML (Chronic Myeloid Leukemia) can cause heart failure between the first month of usage to the 14th month of usage. (2) When heart failure occurs, the patient passes away.
Sources Used:
(1)http://www.webmd.com/cancer/news/20060724/leukemia-drug-may-cause-heart-damage
(2)http://hes.ucfsd.org/gclaypo/repiratorysys.html
To first understand how Leukemia affects the Respiratory System we must first understand what the Respiratory System is.
Respiratory System: The respiratory system is a group of organs that supply our bodies with oxygen. The most vital part of the respiratory system is the lung and the heart. (1)
Leukemia can have a large effect on the respiratory system. One of the main symptoms of leukemia can actually damage your lungs which is a crucial part of your respiratory system. However, Leukemia has a larger impact on the cirulatory system. For example when the human body tries to respire, the lung can inhale oxygen but the red blood cells path can be blocked by the white blood cells that are produced due to leukemia. This can prevent oxygen filled blood to travel around the circulatory system. In a sense due to the problems Leukemia causes in your Circulatory system it can affect the respiratory system drastically. Not only that a new drug that has been approved for the treatment of CML (Chronic Myeloid Leukemia) can cause heart failure between the first month of usage to the 14th month of usage. (2) When heart failure occurs, the patient passes away.
Sources Used:
(1)http://www.webmd.com/cancer/news/20060724/leukemia-drug-may-cause-heart-damage
(2)http://hes.ucfsd.org/gclaypo/repiratorysys.html