Today the topic of stem cells is much discussed and controversial. There seems to always be something to say about new discoveries in stem cell research and what will be done with the newly discovered information. One of the most controversial aspects of stem cell research is how stem cells can be used to treat potentially life-threatening conditions. Leukemia is one of the conditions being researched along with how stem cell therapy could help patients with it. To fully understand what is happening in the world of stem cell and leukemia research, you must first know what stem cells are and what leukemia is. Leukemia is a cancer of the white blood cells, and leukemia cells form in the bone marrow like other normal blood cells. The exact causes of leukemia are unknown, but there are some known risk factors that can lead to leukemia. These include radiation exposure, smoking, chemotherapy, the presence of a genetic disorder, a number of blood disorders, and a family history of leukemia. There are two different categories of leukemia: chronic and acute. Chronic leukemia worsens slowly, while acute leukemia worsens rapidly. Depending on the type of leukemia, symptoms may not even be noticeable. In chronic leukemia, it is not uncommon for patients to be totally unaware of their disease until they undergo a routine checkup. However, symptoms may appear immediately in patients with acute leukemia. Some symptoms of leukemia include fever, night sweats, headache, change in appetite, unexpected weight loss, easy bruising, easy bleeding, fatigue, swollen lymph nodes, recurring infections, and bone or joint pain. On the contrary, these symptoms may not be due to leukemia at all....... half of the article...... and going forward today for leukemia, there is still no 100% guarantee for patients with leukemia cancer. There is some controversy in the conduct of research, especially with stem cells from embryos and blastocysts. Some think this is murder and should not be funded. Others think that everything is for the common good. Now that you know the facts, where do you stand? Works CitedGenetic Science Learning Center. "Stem cells". http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/tech/stemcells/Web MD. "Leukemia". http://www.webmd.com/cancer/tc/leukemia-topic-overview Medical news today. "What are stem cells?" http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/info/stem_cell/whatarestemcells.phpMedicine Net. “Leukemia.” http://www.medicinenet.com/leukemia/article.htmHow things work. "How stem cells work." http://science.howstuffworks.com/cellular-microscopic-biology/stem-cell.htm