The soft material in the center of bones is the bone marrow.
In some bones, the bone marrow consists only of fat. Other bones
contain what is termed cellular marrow. The cellular marrow has
different types of
cells that give rise to red cells, white cells and platelets for our blood. The
marrow may also contain abnormal cells, proteins, or inflammatory processed that are not normally present,
such as cancer cells. Since the production of red cells requires
iron, the marrow is one of the places in the body that normally
stores a supply of iron.
A bone marrow procedure (commonly referred to as a bone
marrow or bone marrow aspiration) is a technique used to obtain the
blood-forming portion
(marrow) of the inner core of bone for examination in the laboratory
or for transplantation. The bone marrow consists of inserting a
special needle into a bone that contains marrow and withdrawing the
marrow by suction or coring out a sample of the marrow.
Most bone marrows are performed to diagnose various conditions
that affect the different types of blood cells. Abnormal blood counts can lead a doctor to suspect that there may be a problem in the bone marrow. Another frequent purpose of a bone marrow is
to diagnose certain cancers or to determine the extent of the cancer
(cancer staging) within the bone marrow. Bone marrow procedures can also detect uncommon conditions, including abnormal proteins (such as in amyloidosis), inflammation (such as in sarcoidosis), and infection (such as in tuberculosis). This procedure can also be used to obtain marrow
for transplantation.
Leukemia is a type of cancer of the blood cells in which the growth and development of the blood cells are abnormal. Strictly speaking, leukemia should refer only to cancer of the white blood cells (the leukocytes) but in practice it can apply to malignancy of any cellular element in the blood or bone marrow, as in red cell leukemia (erythroleukemia).
Anemia is the condition of having less than the normal number of red blood cells or less than the normal quantity of hemoglobin in the blood. The oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood is, therefore, decreased.
In the U.S., more than 2,000 people are diagnosed with bone cancer every year. There are many types of bone cancer. The most common forms of bone cancer are osteosarcoma, Ewing's sarcoma, chondrosarcoma, malignant fibrous histiocytoma, fibrosarcoma, and chordoma. Pain is the most common symptom. Treatment usually involves surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy.
Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is cancer of the lymphatic system, a vital part of the body's immune system. Symptoms include swollen lymph nodes, fever, night sweats, coughing, weakness, chest pain, unexplained weight loss, and abdominal pain. Treatment depends on which type of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma you have, the stage of the cancer, your age, how fast the cancer is growing, and whether you have other health problems.
Multiple myeloma is a form of cancer that develops in plasma cells, the white blood cells that make antibodies. Symptoms include bone pain, weakness, extreme thirst, nausea, frequent urination, and broken bones. Treatment of multiple myeloma depends upon the staging and symptoms of the disease.
Hodgkin's disease is a cancer of the lymphatic system with symptoms that include unexplained, recurring fevers, unexplained weight loss, itchy skin, and painless swelling of the lymph nodes in the neck, underarm, and groin. Treatment for adult Hodgkin's disease depends on the staging of the disease, the lymph nodes' size, and the health of the patient.
Neutropenia is a marked decrease in the number of neutrophils, neutrophils being a type of white blood cell (specifically a form of granulocyte) filled with neutrally-staning granules, tiny sacs of enzymes that help the cell to kill and digest microorganisms it has engulfed by phagocytosis.
Alpha thalassemia is a disorder in which the alpha globin protein is underproduced. There are two pairs of genes that carry the code for the alpha chains of hemoglobin. When one gene is impaired, that person is in a carrier state and suffers no medical problems. When four genes are impaired, the production of fetal and adult hemoglobin is prevented, resulting in hydrops fetalis and leading to death before birth.
Neuroblastoma is a type of cancer that usually afflicts children under 5 years of age. The cancer forms in the adrenal glands, neck, chest, or spinal cord. Symptoms include bulging eyes, bone pain, dark eye circles, a lump in the neck, chest, or abdomen, weakness, or swollen stomach. Treatment depends upon the risk group, which is determined by staging, the child's age, tumor histology, and the tumor biology.
Stem cells are referred to as undifferentiated cells due to the fact that they have not yet committed to a developmental path to form specific organ tissue. There are a variety of types of stem cells to include embryonic, fetal, adult peripheral blood, umbilical cord, and induced pluripotent stem cells.
Childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia is the most common type of cancer in children. Symptoms and signs include fever, easy bruising, bone or joint pain, weakness, loss of appetite, and painless lumps in the neck, underarm, stomach, or groin. Treatment depends upon staging and may include chemotherapy, radiation, or stem cell transplant.
The complete blood count (CBC) is one of the most commonly ordered blood
tests. The complete blood count is the calculation of the cellular (formed
elements) of blood. These calculations are generally determined by special
machines that analyze the different components of blood in less than a minute.
A major portion of the complete blood count is the measure of the
concentration of white blood cells, red blood cells, and
platelets in the blood.
How is the complete blood count test (CBC) done?
The complete blood count (CBC) test is performed by obtaining a few milliliters (one
to two teaspoons) of
blood sample directly form the patient. It can be done in many settings
including the doctor's office, laboratories, and hospitals. The skin
is wiped clean with an alcohol pad, and then a needle is inserted through the
area of cleansed skin into to patient's vein (one...
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