A nurse is providing education to a client diagnosed with leukemia who asks, "What causes leukemia?" How should the nurse respond?

A) This choice is incorrect because stimulating the production of red blood cells in the bone marrow is not the primary purpose of immunotherapy.

B) This choice is incorrect because suppressing the immune system is not the primary purpose of immunotherapy in leukemia treatment. In fact, immunotherapy aims to enhance the immune system's ability to recognize and target cancer cells.

C) This choice is correct. Immunotherapy is used to boost the body's natural defense mechanisms, particularly the immune system, to better recognize and attack leukemia cells.

D) This choice is incorrect because inhibiting the growth of cancerous tumors is not the primary purpose of immunotherapy. Other treatment approaches, such as chemotherapy or targeted therapy, may be used for this purpose.

Questions

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.