History Of Leukemia

The history of leukemia did not really come into being until 1845.  At this time it was diagnosed for the first time by John Hughes Benett.  This was the first of many advances related to this disease and its effects.  This article is going to provide a brief overview of the history related to leukemia.

Even though it was not first diagnosed until 1845, by 1913 there were four different types of leukemia that were starting to enter the medical scene.  While these were new developments in the medical field, it was not until 1970 when it was discovered that you could be cured from this disease and live a long healthy life.  The rate of being cured is now close to 70% and this does not have to be a life threatening illness anymore.

Just as the information related to leukemia has changed over time, so have the treatment options that were available for the patients.  Arsenic was one of the very first treatment options that were given to leukemia patients.  If you research the history of leukemia you will find that it is still used to treat some types of this cancer and it is very successful.

Another type of treatment that may be used is radiation.  It was discovered a long time ago that the cancerous tumors found on the patients could decrease in size if they were exposed to radiation.   This is still a very common treatment for leukemia and other types of cancers as well.  It does have a lot of side effects that need to be taken into consideration if you are considering undergoing this type of treatment but it is very effective.

The history of leukemia explains that chemotherapy came on the scene after World War II.  It was experimented with when it was discovered that mustard gas seemed to have the ability to decrease white blood cells.  Again, chemotherapy is still used today and it can have a lot of benefits just like the other treatment options.

If you or a love once has leukemia, you need to take all of your treatment options into consideration. This is the best thing you can do in order to make an informed decision.  If you think about it, each treatment option that you have is going to have positive and negative effects.  When you take the time to weight everything out you can make better decisions.

It is also important to understand which type of leukemia that you have.  One type of treatment may be best for this type compared to another treatment option that you have.  It is always best to talk to your doctor about this.  The history of leukemia has shown us that there are always new developments and treatment options.  These types of changes occur every year.  You may be able to try a new treatment option and see how that works for you.  There are a lot of different options that you have.

The most important thing that you can do is remain positive.  It was previously mentioned that the success rate of being cured from leukemia is actually very high.  Studies have shown that a positive attitude can have a positive effect on the outcomes that you get.  There are a few different things that you can do in order to decrease stress and help you remain more positive and learning about your conditions and your options is one of the things you can do.  The sooner you decide to take control, the better you will feel.  It is always best to start by talking to your doctor, get the information that you need to begin researching and then turn to your resources.