ARD documentary highlights Westerwelle’s battle with cancer

As Westerwelle’s husband Michael Mronz reveals in the documentary, the cancer was discovered by chance. Accordingly, the couple was jogging together in Mallorca on New Year’s Day 2014 when the FDP politician tore his meniscus.

Doctors initially tried to treat the tear without surgery. Ultimately, surgery was unavoidable. “It was June 17, 2014. In the morning I drove him to the clinic, the doctor came in and said he had to take another blood sample because some of the values ​​were not correct and he wanted to take another look at it,” reports Mronz. “Guido was of course very shocked.”

After further examinations, the doctors diagnosed leukemia.

13,000 people develop leukemia every year

Leukemia is the generic term for malignant diseases that are associated with a disorder of blood formation. This is why it is also colloquially called blood cancer. Leukemia is one of the most dangerous forms of cancer. Compared to other types of cancer, such as breast cancer or colon cancer, leukemia is relatively rare, with more than 13,000 new cases per year.

But because blood cancer is usually discovered late, the prognosis is not good. Only about half of the people with the disease are still alive five years after diagnosis. Permanent healing is rare. Unlike other cancers, a younger age in leukemia is associated with a better prognosis. The chances of recovery are good for children with leukemia, but rather poor for seniors.

Leukemia – the four most important forms

Depending on the type of cell that has degenerated and the course of the disease, leukemias can be divided into different forms. A sudden, strong feeling of illness is typical for the acute forms, something like the flu. Chronic leukemias, on the other hand, develop gradually and inconspicuously. The complaints are non-specific. The different forms of leukemia are:

Signs of leukemia

“Normally, when you have leukemia, you have symptoms. And Guido had none of these symptoms,” says Mronz in the documentary.

The signs of leukemia are usually very non-specific. These include:

• constant tiredness
• pale skin
• small, pinpoint hemorrhages under the skin
• Loss of appetite
• Feelings of dizziness
• heart racing
• Shortness of breath
• Weight loss for no apparent reason
• Mild, persistent fever, although there is no infection
• Bone pain
• Sweats, especially at night
• frequent infections, i.e. weak immune system
• swollen lymph nodes, such as under the armpits and groin

One or more of these signs does not mean that leukemia is present. But the symptoms should definitely be clarified by a doctor.

Acute leukemia and chronic leukemia – treatment is different

Depending on the type of leukemia, a special treatment plan is drawn up. This is usually done by experts in one of the many hematological-oncology centers at hospitals.

In particular, the treatment of acute leukemia must begin as quickly as possible. The functioning immune cells are rapidly decreasing, and the number of red blood cells and platelets is also rapidly dwindling.

The basis of therapy for acute leukemias are:

• chemotherapy and
• radiotherapy

Chemotherapy is carried out on an inpatient basis and sometimes on an outpatient basis. Cytostatics are given in high doses as injections or tablets, especially at the beginning of treatment (induction therapy). In order to ensure that the effect and side effects are optimally balanced, treatment is carried out at intervals and later at longer intervals (consolidation therapy and maintenance therapy).

Radiation therapy can be used to specifically destroy leukemia cells, for example in malignant lymph nodes.

Only if these treatments do not work will a bone marrow or blood stem cell transplant be considered. The treatment is complex but often successful. It is particularly effective in AML and non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

How you can reduce your risk of leukemia

Blood cancer can be prevented to a certain extent. You can avoid the following risk factors:

• Your radiation exposure should be as low as possible. So avoid taking x-rays too often and keep an x-ray record.
• Don’t smoke. The chemical cocktail in tobacco smoke contains at least 250 toxic or carcinogenic substances, including benzene. This chemical is known to increase the risk of leukemia.
• Avoid benzene and its derivatives. Benzene is contained in motor gasoline and ends up in exhaust gases. Plastics and dyes can also emit benzene. There are repeated reports of benzene in food and drinks.