James Kafeero, an oncologist at the Uganda Cancer Institute in Mulago Hospital (Uganda) says that risk factors that lead people to contract leukemia are as follows. Having relatives or being in company of people who have or have had leukemia, people with underlying genetic disorders such as downs’ syndrome, previous exposure to ionizing radiations like X-rays and an atomic/nuclear reaction exposure expose one to leukemia.

Kafeero says that other risk factors that may lead to leukemia are previous exposure to chemotherapy regimens, insecticides and herbicides containing benzene compounds.

He says that the control strategy of leukemia is early diagnosis and treatment because most leukemia cases are curable. The treatment of leukemia varies from supportive treatment to chemotherapy and surgery according to Dr. Kafeero. But the best treatment recommended is supportive treatment, for instance blood transfusion, good nutrition and treatment of infections.

Leukemia drugs are given (chemotherapy) to patients with leukemia in different phases in order to prevent recurrence of the disease. The treatment of leukemia lasts for about three months. When it comes to surgery, it involves doing a bone marrow transplant. The treatment of leukemia is quiet expensive.

By Walakira Nyanzi

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