Context:
The researchers found a statistically significant correlation between a rise in soy production and acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) deaths in children between 2008 and 2019 in Brazil’s Amazon and Cerrado biomes.
Relevance:
GS II: Health
Dimensions of the Article:
- Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (ALL)
- Causes
Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (ALL):
- ALL is a form of cancer that affects the blood and bone marrow, which is the soft tissue within bones responsible for producing blood cells.
- The term “acute” in acute lymphocytic leukaemia signifies the disease’s rapid progression and the production of immature blood cells instead of mature ones.
- It is the most prevalent cancer among children.
Symptoms:
- Common symptoms include bleeding from the gums, bone pain, fever, frequent infections, and frequent or severe nosebleeds.
Causes:
- ALL is the result of genetic mutations in bone marrow cells. These mutations alter the DNA, which contains instructions for a cell’s growth and lifespan.
- In cases of ALL, the mutated DNA instructs the bone marrow cell to continue dividing uncontrollably. This leads to the production of abnormal cells called lymphoblasts, which are a type of leukemic white blood cell.
- These malformed cells are unable to function correctly and can accumulate, displacing healthy cells.
- The exact cause of the DNA mutations that lead to acute lymphocytic leukaemia is not well understood.
Treatment:
- Treatment options may involve chemotherapy or targeted drugs designed to specifically eliminate cancer cells.
-Source: Down To Earth
