can anyone tell me what would happen to the levels of the five different types of WBC in leukemia?

Question

and if possible how would this relate to the symptoms?
I know this is a bit of a general question as there are many different types of leukemia but any help would be really appreciated!

i know and i have to do a 10 mark answer on it!
the exact question want me to "give one example of a disorder which affects WBC population and explain what would happen to the expected symptoms in terms of the relative proportions to the 5 different types of WBC"

hmm maybe i shouldn't do leukemia?

Answer 1

This is a vague question Kerrie.
Granulocytic (Myelocytic) leukemias and Lymphocytic leukemias can both be acute or chronic.
The WBC count may be very high or not high at all (in so-called 'aleukemic' leukemia where just the marrow is packed with malignant leukemia cells.)
Symptoms depend on a wide variety of factors - cell type,
acute or chronic, associated infections, etc.

Basophils and Eosinophils are much less likely to be associated with leukemia.
Monocytes are grouped with the Myelocytic leukemias
There are a number of these (Myelocytic leukemias) depending on the level of the maturation arrest.
Most acute leukemia patients present with anemia, bleeding, or infection related to the leukemia crowding out normal production of red cells, white cells, and platelets.

You might start with the Wiki site and work up from there for more details. This is an entire book chapter type question.

MD retired hematologist/oncologist