Acute Granulocytic Leukemia and Receiving Social Security Disability

Leukemia is one of several different forms of cancer that affects your bone marrow and/or blood. Leukemia is evidenced by an abnormal build up of blood cells that are usually white blood cells (leukocytes). The term leukemia can be used in reference to a broad group of diseases. Leukemia is divided into categories and groups both clinically and pathologically. The first division is between the acute and chronic types of leukemia. The type of blood cell that is affected by leukemia is the next division. This division is divided between lymphocytic and myelogenous leukemia. Lymphocytic leukemias include acute lymphocytic leukemia and chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Acute granulocytic leukemia is one of the kinds of myelogenous leukemia. This disease affects your bone marrow and blood. Acute granulocytic leukemia is a disease that grows rapidly and affects immature blood cells rather than mature blood cells. When the word acute is used in medicine, it usually refers to a disease or disorder that is short-term, that does not last for a long time. However, in the case of acute granulocytic leukemia, acute is used to refer to the rapid growth of the disease. Acute granulocytic leukemia is called by several other names. It is also known as acute myeloid leukemia, acute myeloblastic leukemia, nonlymphocytic leukemia and acute myelogenous leukemia. Each year, over 10,000 new cases of acute granulocytic leukemia are diagnosed in the United States. This disease is more common in whites than it is in other races. Men also get acute granulocytic leukemia more often than women do. Although it can occur to anyone at any age, acute granulocytic leukemia is the most common acute type of leukemia that affects adults. The incidence of acute granulocytic leukemia increases with age. The median age of onset is age 65. At the present time, researchers are not sure what causes acute granulocytic leukemia. There are some things that doctors think may result in this disease. Exposure to certain chemicals, radiation and some chemotherapy drugs are things that may have a role in the occurrence of acute granulocytic leukemia. There are some risk factors that may increase your likelihood of developing acute granulocytic leukemia. Some of these are: ?

? Being exposed to radiation and certain chemicals
? Having a blood disorder, such as essential thrombocythemia, myelodysplasia and polycythemia vera.
Having a weakened immune system that results from having an organ transplant

In the early stages of acute granulocytic leukemia, your signs and symptoms may be like those of the flu or other common illnesses. The signs and symptoms that your experience may be different. This is determined by the kind of blood cell that the disease is affecting. Some possible signs and symptoms may be:

? Getting infections frequently
? Paleness to your appearance
? Bruising easily
? Tenderness or pain in your bones
? Fatigue and feeling lazy and sluggish
? Bleeding from your gums
? Rash or skin lesion
? Shortness of breath that gets worse with physical activity
? Fever
? Unintentional weight loss
? Having abnormal menstrual periods as a woman
? Bleeding from your nose.

You may be suffering from acute granulocytic leukemia. Acute granulocytic leukemia and/or complications that have developed from it may have caused your disability and be what is keeping you from being able to work. If you need financial assistance, you may have put in a claim for Social Security disability benefits or disability benefits from the Social Security Administration. Did the Social Security Administration reject your claim? Did you file an appeal? Was that rejected, also? Get help now.

Do You Need Help With Your Disability Claim?

Acute Granulocytic Leukemia and Receiving Social Security Disability