MIAMI — According to the National Cancer Society, Florida will lead the nation in new cases of leukemia this year.
Specialists in the Sunshine State are trying to figure out why the Hispanic population has a higher rate of the disease, and which sub-types are more common.
Karen Estrada was always healthy and energetic, but in early 2020, she infected with COVID followed by a fever that wouldn’t go away.
“And from that fever I wound up in the ER from the ER they advised that I needed to see a hematologist,” she said.
Blood work ultimately revealed she had Acute Myeloid Leukemia or AML, a stunning diagnosis since she had no symptoms.
“I got to the hospital feeling completely okay.” Estrada said.
Dr. Namrata Chandhok, a hematologist-oncologist with Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center said certain types of leukemia are more prevalent in Hispanic patients.
“So for example a type of blood cancer called acute promyelocytic leukemia and even acute lymphoblastic leukemia historically have been higher in Hispanic patients,” Chandhok said.
And as in Estrada’s case, some of those subtypes can be particularly aggressive,
“But the good news here is that at least in the studies we’ve done locally if we treat them appropriately and get them the right care they can do just as well as other patients so it’s all about seeking care and getting the right kind of care upfront and early,” Chandhok said.
Estrada first went through chemo but it didn’t get rid of enough of the cancer to qualify her for a potentially lifesaving bone marrow transplant.
Her only option was to take part in a clinical trial for AML.
“I didn’t want to be a guinea pig but with the help of the amazing doctors treating me they were able to educate me what a clinical trial was and what type of clinical trial I qualified.” she said.
Estrada was isolated in the hospital for six months during the trial which was both physically and mentally exhausting.
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