What is Leukemia

Leukemia is cancer of the white blood cells. Under normal circumstances, white blood cells help the body fight infection. In leukemia, however, the bone marrow (the spongy tissue inside bones where blood cells originate) produces abnormal white blood cells. These cells crowd out healthy blood cells, making it difficult for blood to do its work. Cancer specialists at the Saint Francis Cancer Center want to help you understand leukemia, its risk factors and your treatment options.

Types of Leukemia

Types of leukemia are named after the specific blood cell that becomes cancerous. The four main types of leukemia include:

• Acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL)—This is a type of cancer in which the bone marrow produces too many lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell). This type of leukemia occurs most often in children.
• Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)—CLL is a type of cancer of the blood and bone marrow that is most common in older adults.
• Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) —Also known as acute myelogenous leukemia, this cancer is characterized by the rapid growth of abnormal white blood cells that accumulate in the bone marrow and interfere with the production of normal blood cells. The most common type of leukemia  affecting adults, the incidence of AML increases with age.
• Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) —Also known as chronic granulocytic leukemia (CGL), CML is a chronic, slow-growing cancer of the white blood cells. 

There are other, less common types of leukemia but they are generally sub-categories of one of the four main categories. According to the National Cancer Institute, more than 40,800 adults and 4,500 Americans are diagnosed with this disease each year.

Learn More About Leukemia

Leukemia Prevention and Risk Factors
Leukemia Symptoms
Leukemia Tests and Diagnoses 
Leukemia Treatment

Learn More About Common Types of Cancer

To learn more about different types of cancer, please review the links below. For additional Saint Francis Cancer Center information or to schedule a consultation with a cancer specialist, please call Saint Francis HealthLink at 918-488-6688.

Breast Cancer
Colon Cancer
Head and Neck Cancers
Hodgkin's Disease
Leukemia
Lung Cancer
Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma
Prostate Cancer
Skin Cancer
Pediatric Cancers