Once leukemia is diagnosed, it will be staged. Staging finds out how much the cancer has spread and progressed, and it helps a doctor determine your outlook. AML and ALL are staged based on how cancer cells look under a microscope and the type of cells involved.
The presence of immature white blood cells, or myeloblasts, in the blood and bone marrow is also used to stage AML and CML. A number of other tests can be used to determine the progression of the disease:. The long-term outlook for people who have leukemia depends on the type of cancer they have and their stage at diagnosis. Some factors, like older age, past history of blood disorders, and chromosome mutations, can negatively affect the outlook.
According to the NCI, the number of leukemia deaths has been falling on average 1. The 5-year survival rate or percent of people surviving at least 5 years after receiving a diagnosis was 65 percent from to Work with your medical team to treat leukemia and find out your specific outlook. Read this article in Spanish. White blood cells, or WBCs, are an important part of your immune system.
They help fight infections by attacking bacteria, viruses, and germs. Here's what you need to know about the link between leukemia and anemia. Blood cell disorders impair the formation and function of red blood cells, white blood cells, or platelets. Learn about the common symptoms of leukemia in children.
These are the best leukemia blogs of the year. They are making a difference in spreading education and compassion. Learn more about the tests that are used to diagnose leukemia, what to expect, and the many options you have even if you do not currently have….
EBV isn't directly connected with leukemia, but it is linked to a higher risk of a few other types of cancer. Find out more about the virus and…. In terms of how quickly it develops or gets worse, leukemia is classified as either acute fast-growing or chronic slow-growing. Acute leukemia is rapidly progressing and results in the accumulation of immature, functionless blood cells in the bone marrow.
Chronic leukemia progresses more slowly and results in the accumulation of relatively mature, but still abnormal, white blood cells. It tends to take longer to start causing noticeable problems than acute leukemia. However, chronic, slower-growing leukemia may be more difficult to treat. According to data from the National Cancer Institute Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results SEER Program , chronic lymphocytic leukemia is the most common type in the United States, followed by acute myeloid leukemia, chronic myeloid leukemia and acute lymphocytic leukemia.
Acute lymphocytic leukemia ALL progresses rapidly, replacing healthy cells that produce functional lymphocytes with leukemia cells that can't mature properly. The leukemia cells are carried in the bloodstream to other organs and tissues, including the brain, liver, lymph nodes and testes, where they continue to grow and divide.
The growing, dividing and spreading of these leukemia cells may result in a number of possible symptoms, some of which may resemble the flu. They include fatigue, shortness of breath, fever, and easy bruising or bleeding , among other symptoms. ALL develops when changes in DNA mutations cause the bone marrow to produce too many abnormal lymphocytes a type of white blood cell.
Lymphocytes are supposed to help fight infections, but the ones produced in people with ALL are unable to do so properly. The proliferation of these abnormal cells also crowds out other types of healthy blood cells. Risk factors for ALL include:. ALL may be diagnosed with blood tests and a bone marrow aspiration and biopsy, which involve extracting a sample of bone marrow and a tiny piece of bone, then studying the cells under a microscope. Acute myeloid leukemia AML , also known as acute myelogenous leukemia, acute myeloblastic leukemia, acute granulocytic leukemia or acute nonlymphocytic leukemia, is a fast-growing form of cancer of the blood and bone marrow.
Some symptoms may resemble the flu—such as fever, fatigue and night sweats. Others include easy bruising or bleeding and weight loss. Another form of CLL grows very quickly. CLL begins in the B lymphocytes. As the abnormal cells proliferate, they crowd out the normal cells. This type of leukemia is rare. Only 10 percent of leukemias are CML.
CML occurs when a genetic change turns the myeloid cells into immature cancer cells. These cells then grow slowly and overwhelm the healthy cells in the bone marrow and blood. A rare type called hairy cell leukemia HCL — because of how it looks under a microscope — affects fewer than 6, people each year.
Prognosis — or chance of recovering from leukemia — depends on many factors. Leukemia subtypes fall along a continuum for projected outcomes, but individual cases can deviate from these predictions. Chromosome abnormalities and your response to treatment make a difference, as does age. People under 50 usually fare better. Links to lower survival rates include a history of radiation exposure or previous chemotherapy for a different type of cancer.
Doctors often discover that a person has chronic leukemia through routine blood testing. They may also rely on their experience and current knowledge of the disease. If your doctor suspects you may have leukemia, he or she will order specific diagnostic tests such as a:.
For general information or questions , call For appointments , contact your preferred doctor or location directly. Skip to Content. Learn more. Clinical Trials Our experts conduct clinical trials to deliver cutting-edge treatment to our patients. Find a trial. Our Experts Our team includes expert hematologists and oncologists.
Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission. This content does not have an English version. This content does not have an Arabic version. Overview Leukemia is cancer of the body's blood-forming tissues, including the bone marrow and the lymphatic system. Request an Appointment at Mayo Clinic. Parts of the immune system Open pop-up dialog box Close. Parts of the immune system The lymphatic system is part of the body's immune system, which protects against infection and disease.
Share on: Facebook Twitter. Show references Kliegman RM, et al. The leukemias. In: Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. Elsevier;
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