A client asks the nurse, "What is leukemia?" How should the nurse respond?

A) This choice is incorrect because a stem cell transplant is primarily used to replace the damaged bone marrow and restore normal blood cell production, but it is not a specific treatment for anemia.

B) This choice is correct. A blood transfusion involves infusing healthy red blood cells into the client's bloodstream to address anemia and improve oxygen-carrying capacity.

C) This choice is incorrect because radiation therapy is primarily used to target and destroy cancer cells, not to address anemia.

D) This choice is incorrect because immune checkpoint inhibitors are a type of immunotherapy used to enhance the body's immune response against cancer cells, but they are not a specific treatment for anemia.

A) This choice is incorrect because leukemia arises from the uncontrolled growth and division of abnormal blood cells, not normal blood cells. These abnormal cells disrupt the normal functioning of the blood and bone marrow.

B) This choice is incorrect because while cancerous cells may infiltrate and replace healthy tissues in other types of cancer, leukemia primarily affects the bone marrow and blood, not other organs like the liver and lungs.

C) This choice is incorrect because while leukemia does involve genetic mutations, the formation of abnormal blood cells primarily occurs within the bone marrow, not in the lymph nodes.

D) This choice is correct. The pathophysiology of leukemia involves the abnormal proliferation and differentiation of bone marrow stem cells. These cells undergo genetic mutations, leading to the development of leukemia and the production of abnormal blood cells.