A client diagnosed with acute leukemia presents with enlarged gums and bleeding from the gums. What is the underlying cause of these oral symptoms?

A) This choice is incorrect because leukemia does not lead to the increased production of normal red blood cells. Instead, it causes the overproduction of abnormal white blood cells.

B) This choice is incorrect because leukemia does not lead to the accumulation of normal platelets in the blood. Thrombocytopenia, or low platelet count, is common in leukemia due to the suppression of normal platelet production in the bone marrow.

C) This choice is correct. In leukemia, the proliferation of abnormal white blood cells crowds out and suppresses the normal bone marrow stem cells responsible for producing red blood cells, platelets, and other white blood cells. This suppression leads to anemia and thrombocytopenia.

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

A) This choice is correct. A lumbar puncture is performed to assess cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) for the presence of leukemic cells in cases where leukemia may have spread to the central nervous system. This procedure helps determine if the client requires specific treatment to target leukemia in the CNS.

B) This choice is incorrect because a lumbar puncture is not primarily used to evaluate liver and kidney function.

C) This choice is incorrect because measuring blood glucose levels is not the primary purpose of a lumbar puncture.

D) This choice is incorrect because determining the client's platelet count is not the primary purpose of a lumbar puncture. Platelet counts are typically obtained through a blood test.