By Staff Reporter
ONE of Zimbabwe’s finest Journalist, Sharon Muguwu passed on this morning (13/06/2017) due to cancer of the bone marrow, (Leukemia).
Shaez, as she was affectionately known in the Media circles succumbed to Lukemei which had reached its final stage.
Over the past few weeks, Shaez was undergoing her chemotherapy and bone marrow therapy at a local hospital. Sharon was an avid women rights defender, health fanatic and entertainment journalist at the Daily News newspaper.
From the HealthTimes Team, we say Rest in Eternal Peace Sharon and may your family find comfort in the hands of the almighty.
What is Leukemia?
Leukemia is a malignancy (cancer) of blood cells. In leukemia, abnormal blood cells are produced in the bone marrow. Usually, leukemia involves the production of abnormal white blood cells — the cells responsible for fighting infection.
Leukemia is called an acute leukemia if it develops rapidly. Large numbers of leukemia cells accumulate very quickly in the blood and bone marrow, leading to symptoms such as tiredness, easy bruising, and susceptibility to infections. Acute leukemia requires fast and aggressive treatment.
Chronic leukemias develop slowly over time. These leukemias may not cause specific symptoms at the beginning of their course. If left untreated, the cells may eventually grow to high numbers, as in acute leukemias causing similar symptoms.
What causes leukemia? Is leukemia hereditary?
The exact cause of leukemia is not known, but it is thought to involve a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Leukemia cells have acquired mutations in their DNA that cause them to grow abnormally and lose functions of typical white blood cells. It is not clear what causes these mutations to occur. One type of change in the cells’ DNA that is common in leukemias is known as a chromosome translocation. In this process, a portion of one chromosome breaks off and attaches to a different chromosome. One translocation seen in almost all cases of CML and in sometimes in other types of leukemia is an exchange of DNA between chromosomes 9 and 22, which leads to what is known as the Philadelphia chromosome. This creates an oncogene (cancer-promoting gene) known as BCR-ABL. This change in DNA is not inherited but occurs sometime in the life of the affected individual.
Most cases of leukemia are not believed to be hereditary, but certain genetic mutations and conditions can be passed along to offspring that increase the chances of developing leukemia. A condition known as Li-Fraumeni syndrome is characterized by an inherited mutation in a tumor suppressor gene known as TP53, and individuals with this condition have an increased risk of leukemia and other cancers. Other hereditary conditions that can increase the risk of developing leukemia include Down syndrome, neurofibromatosis type 1, ataxia telangiectasia, and Noonan syndrome.
