Focus On Leukemia

A Look At The Disease That Killed CBS News' Ed Bradley

(WebMD)  CBS newsman Ed Bradley died of leukemia in New York Thursday morning. He was 65.

Bradley worked for CBS for 35 years and was a reporter on the CBS news magazine, "60 Minutes," for 26 of those years.

Details of Bradley’s illness — including the type of leukemia he had and when he was diagnosed — were not immediately made public.

Leukemia is a cancer that begins in the blood cells. Its exact cause is not known.

There are four common types of the disease:

Acute myeloid leukemia: About 11,930 new cases expected this year in the U.S.; affects adults and children.

Chronic myeloid leukemia: About 4,600 new cases estimated for this year; mainly affects adults.

Acute lymphocytic leukemia: About 3,900 new cases expected this year; mainly in young children, but can affect adults.

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia: About 9,700 cases expected this year; usually seen in people over 55.

Common leukemia symptoms include:

Fevers or night sweats

Frequent infections

Feeling weak or tired

Headache

Easy bleeding and bruising

Pain in bones or joints

Swelling or discomfort in abdomen (from enlarged spleen)

Swollen lymph nodes, especially in the neck or armpit

Weight loss

Such symptoms aren't sure signs of leukemia. Only a doctor can diagnose the disease.

Leukemia symptoms may be acute, meaning they start suddenly and worsen quickly. Or they can be chronic, starting mildly and worsening gradually.

Treatment depends on the type and extent of the disease and can include chemotherapy, biological therapy, radiation therapy, and bone marrow transplantation.

Doctors often can't say why one person gets cancer and another doesn't. But several risk factors have been tied to leukemia, including:

Exposure to very high levels of radiation

Working with certain chemicals, such as benzene and formaldehyde

Chemotherapy

Down syndrome and certain other genetic diseases

Human T-cell leukemia virus (HTLV-1), which causes a rare type of chronic leukemia

Myelodysplastic syndrome, a blood disease that makes acute myeloid leukemia more likely.

Smoking and tobacco use

Most people who get leukemia do not have any risk factors. Leukemia does not usually run in families. But in very rare cases, this can happen with chronic myeloid leukemia.

SOURCES: CBS News: "60 Minutes' Ed Bradley Dead at 65." WebMD Medical Reference from MedicineNet.com: "Leukemia." American Cancer Society Web site: "What are the key statistics about acute myeloid leukemia?", " What are the key statistics about acute lymphocytic leukemia?", " What are the key statistics about chronic myeloid leukemia?", "What are the key statistics about chronic lymphocytic leukemia?" WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise: "Leukemia."

By Miranda Hitti
Reviewed by Louise Chang, M.D.
Copyright 2006, WebMD Inc. All rights reserved.

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Add a Comment

by chrisrn1 November 12, 2006 2:48 PM EST

We lost a great journalist and human being, Ed Bradley to CLL. My condolences go out to his family, friends and colleagues. His passing was shocking but all too well known for those of us familiar with this disease. Many of us refer to it as the "Dragon", and it needs slaying. I am hoping that when Ed's 60 Minutes colleagues recover from their grief, they do some in-depth reporting on this disease. More attention is needed re. this disease , and more funding for research for better treatments and a cure.

Reply to this comment

by ramborn1 November 12, 2006 1:04 PM EST

Ed Bradley was someone I admired for his style and substance; and especially his love of good music. From his untimely death, I learned we had CLL in common. For me CLL is not a secret I keep, but a private matter I share with some but not all my friends and coworkers. One deals with it as best you can and keep going on with life. I expect that Ed Bradley choose to manage the issue and disease this way in his private and public lives. I will miss his presence.

Reply to this comment

by rattlecan-2009 November 10, 2006 12:54 PM EST

Response to garilou:
All your concerns are well taken. I am just so sad. Ed Bradley was one of my heroes.

Reply to this comment

by garilou2 November 10, 2006 7:42 AM EST

I am so sad, because I admired Ed Bradley so much!
I just hope that his keeping his CLL secret (well, OK to the public, but not to close working relations) will not be stressed too much as a proof of courage that should be admired per se.
Too often, when one is diagnosed with CLL, one is told, even by GPs: "Oh this is such a harmless cancer, I know so many who lived 20 years and died of something else".
This cancer is much more dangerous then previously considered, and deserve constant attention, for infections, for very abrupt transformation(s). I am not telling that Mr Bradley neglected his health or could be responsible for his death!
It just sounds like that in the news.
CLL seems to be almost "epidemical" since a few years. It affects people (more men than women)in the 55 to 70 age bracket, people who might be afraid to lose their job if someone knew what they have.
And I am afraid that his story could induce other persons to show the same attitude and neglect.

Reply to this comment

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[chrisrn1]

We lost a great journalist and human being, Ed Bradley to CLL. My condolences go out to his family, friends and colleagues. His passing was shocking but all too well known for those of us familiar with this disease. Many of us refer to it as the "Dragon", and it needs slaying. I am hoping that when Ed's 60 Minutes colleagues recover from their grief, they do some in-depth reporting on this disease. More attention is needed re. this disease , and more funding for research for better treatments and a cure.

[ramborn1]

Ed Bradley was someone I admired for his style and substance; and especially his love of good music. From his untimely death, I learned we had CLL in common. For me CLL is not a secret I keep, but a private matter I share with some but not all my friends and coworkers. One deals with it as best you can and keep going on with life. I expect that Ed Bradley choose to manage the issue and disease this way in his private and public lives. I will miss his presence.

[rattlecan-2009]

Response to garilou:
All your concerns are well taken. I am just so sad. Ed Bradley was one of my heroes.

[garilou2]

I am so sad, because I admired Ed Bradley so much!
I just hope that his keeping his CLL secret (well, OK to the public, but not to close working relations) will not be stressed too much as a proof of courage that should be admired per se.
Too often, when one is diagnosed with CLL, one is told, even by GPs: "Oh this is such a harmless cancer, I know so many who lived 20 years and died of something else".
This cancer is much more dangerous then previously considered, and deserve constant attention, for infections, for very abrupt transformation(s). I am not telling that Mr Bradley neglected his health or could be responsible for his death!
It just sounds like that in the news.
CLL seems to be almost "epidemical" since a few years. It affects people (more men than women)in the 55 to 70 age bracket, people who might be afraid to lose their job if someone knew what they have.
And I am afraid that his story could induce other persons to show the same attitude and neglect.