A client with leukemia is receiving immunotherapy as part of their treatment plan. What is the primary purpose of immunotherapy in leukemia treatment?

A) This choice is incorrect because leukemia does not result from an overproduction of platelets. Leukemia involves an overproduction of abnormal white blood cells.

B) This choice is incorrect because leukemia is not caused by the body's immune system attacking healthy white blood cells. Instead, it involves the uncontrolled growth of abnormal white blood cells.

C) This choice is correct. Leukemia is characterized by genetic mutations in the bone marrow cells, particularly in the stem cells that produce white blood cells. These mutations lead to uncontrolled growth and proliferation of abnormal white blood cells, interfering with the normal production of other blood cells.

D) This choice is incorrect because an imbalance of red blood cells would not trigger the overproduction of white blood cells. Leukemia is specifically a disorder of white blood cell proliferation.

A) This choice is incorrect because red blood cells are not directly involved in the body's immune response. Decreased red blood cells may cause anemia, but they are not responsible for frequent infections and recurrent fevers.

B) This choice is incorrect because platelets are involved in clotting and do not directly impact the body's immune response.

C) This choice is correct. Neutrophils are a type of white blood cell responsible for fighting infections. In leukemia, particularly when neutrophils are affected, the body's ability to fight infections becomes compromised, leading to frequent infections and recurrent fevers.

D) This choice is incorrect because lymphocytes, specifically B-lymphocytes, are affected in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). While CLL can lead to increased susceptibility to infections, neutrophil dysfunction is more commonly associated with recurrent infections in leukemia.