EntityQ846316· pop 36· linked from 328 articles

aplastic anemia

anemia that is characterized by a deficiency of red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets produced by bone marrow

Key facts

Specialty: Oncology , hematology
Symptoms: pale skin , fatigue , fast heart rate , rash , dizziness , headache , frequent or prolonged infections , nosebleeds , bleeding gums, prolonged bleeding from cuts, unexplained or easy bruising, hematoma
Risk factors: Smoking , ionizing radiation, some chemicals, prior chemotherapy, Down syndrome
Diagnostic method: bone marrow biopsy
Treatment: bone marrow transplant , chemotherapy , radiotherapy , targeted therapy
Prognosis: five-year survival rate 45%
Frequency: 3.83 million (2015)
Deaths: 563,000 (2015)

via Wikipedia infobox

Article

Aplastic anemia (AA) is a severe hematologic condition in which the body fails to make blood cells in sufficient numbers. Normally, blood cells are produced in the bone marrow by stem cells that reside there, but patients with aplastic anemia have a deficiency of all blood cell types: red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets.

It occurs most frequently in people in their teens and twenties but is also common among the elderly. It can be caused by immune disease, inherited diseases, or by exposure to chemicals, drugs, or radiation. However, in about half of cases, the cause is unknown.