Poetry of Acquired Aplastic Anemia

Acquired aplastic anemia, 

rare in the West, common in Asia,

its fury, took the precious life of Marie Curie.

Overlaps in pathophysiology with,

myelodysplastic syndrome and acute myeloid leukemia,

no one knows the triggering antigen,

or the perfect causative pathogen.

 Inflammatory cytokines, cytotoxic T-cells, mutations,

act as ammunitions,

destroying the bone marrow castle,

in a one-sided battle,

stem cells are killed in their own den,

with no chance of evolving into other cells,

trilineage pancytopenia is the outcome,

leaving the bone marrow in glum.

 But wait, there is hope,

with bone marrow transplant and immunosuppressive therapy,

there is a remedy.

 With further research, factors that merge,

to create acquired aplastic anemia

can be identified,

and,

battle against this disease can be won,

patients can live their life, without any strife.

 

Acquired aplastic anemia (aAA) is a life threatening disease. My doctoral thesis focused on aAA and therefore,  I dedicate this poem to all the patients and physicians , putting up a brave front against this disease. aAA was the reason of Madam Marie Curie's death as well, a great Nobel prize winning scientist and a great inspiration for all the women in science.