ETIOLOGIC FACTORS INVOLVED IN LEUKEMOGENESIS

Abstract

Leukemia is a malignant disorder that affect one of the; hematopoietic progenitors or even the earliest] pluripotential stem cell, usually, leukemia represents malignant clonal expansion of a single cell. The geneti1 program of which has been disordered in some way for itJ differentiation to be truncated, abnormal multiplicatio1 and/or long living to be supported by various protein] cofactors produced by the abnormal cell themselves as welJ as other cells e.g stroma ce. 11 s. So, provi. si. ona. 11.y we cari: conclude that the process of leukemogenesi· s i· nvolves 3 steps named: "initiation, promotion and progression", and on the other hand, evidence is accumulating that malignancy is the result of a change in the DNA that enables a cell overcome normal constraints on replication and having divided, fail to differentiate and mature In other words, changes in the function of certain normal genes known as cellular oncogenes may lead malignant transformation of the normal cells. These genes are part of the normal genetic make up and code for proteins involved in cell proliferation, survival or differentiation:,. But, it should be emphasized that cellular oncogenes are not. tumorigenic by themselves.