leukemia
Sign in to saveLeukemia (also spelled leukaemia; pronounced ) is a group of blood cancers that usually begin in the bone marrow and produce high numbers of abnormal blood cells. These blood cells are not fully developed and are called blasts or leukemia cells. Symptoms may include bleeding and bruising, bone pain, fatigue, fever, and an increased risk of infections. These symptoms occur due to a lack of normal blood cells. Diagnosis is typically made by blood tests or bone marrow biopsy.
AI overview
Leukemia is a type of blood cancer that starts in the bone marrow and causes the body to produce large numbers of abnormal, underdeveloped blood cells. It matters because these abnormal cells crowd out healthy blood cells, leading to serious symptoms like bleeding, infections, fatigue, and bone pain that can significantly affect a person's health.
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Key facts
- Medical condition.name
- Leukemia
- Medical condition.synonyms
- Leukaemia
- Medical condition.image
- ALL-AML.jpg
- Medical condition.caption
- A Wright's stained bone marrow aspirate smears from individuals with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (left) and acute myeloid leukemia (right). Myeloid leukemia cells are usually larger, contain prominent nucleoli, and specific, but not mandatory, cytoplasmic inclusions – Auer rods (purple needles).
- Medical condition.field
- Hematology and oncology
- Medical condition.symptoms
- Bleeding, bruising, fatigue, fever, increased risk of infections
- Medical condition.onset
- All ages, most common in 60s and 70s. It is the most common malignant cancer in children, but the cure rates are also higher for them.
- Medical condition.causes
- Inherited and environmental factors
- Medical condition.risks
- Smoking, family history, ionizing radiation, some chemicals such as trichloroethylene, prior chemotherapy, Down syndrome.
- Medical condition.diagnosis
Article
33 sectionsContents
- Classification
- General classification
- Specific types
- Pre-leukemia
- Signs and symptoms
- Causes
- Radiation
- Genetic conditions
- Non-ionizing radiation
- Diagnosis
- Treatment
- Acute lymphoblastic
- Chronic lymphocytic
- Decision to treat
- Treatment approach
- Acute myelogenous
- Chronic myelogenous
- Hairy cell
- T-cell prolymphocytic
- Juvenile myelomonocytic
- Prognosis
- Epidemiology
- United States
- Australia
- UK
- History
- Etymology
- Society and culture
- Research directions
- Pregnancy
- See also
- References
- External links
Leukemia (also spelled leukaemia; pronounced ) is a group of blood cancers that usually begin in the bone marrow and produce high numbers of abnormal blood cells. These blood cells are not fully developed and are called blasts or leukemia cells. Symptoms may include bleeding and bruising, bone pain, fatigue, fever, and an increased risk of infections. These symptoms occur due to a lack of normal blood cells. Diagnosis is typically made by blood tests or bone marrow biopsy.
The exact cause of leukemia is unknown. A combination of genetic factors and environmental (non-inherited) factors are believed to play a role. Risk factors include smoking, ionizing radiation, petrochemicals (such as benzene), prior chemotherapy, and Down syndrome. People with a family history of leukemia are also at higher risk. There are four main types of leukemia—acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), acute myeloid leukemia (AML), chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and chronic myeloid leukemia (CML)—and a number of less common types. Leukemias and lymphomas both belong to a broader group of tumors that affect the blood, bone marrow, and lymphoid system, known as tumors of the hematopoietic and lymphoid tissues.