Leukaemia

Leukaemia is a group of blood cancers that usually begin in the bone marrow and result in high numbers of abnormal white blood cells. These white blood cells are not fully developed and are called blast cells or leukaemia cells. Symptoms may include bleeding and bruising problems, feeling tired, 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 leukaemia is unknown. Different types of leukaemia have different risk factors. These include smoking, ionizing radiation, some chemicals (such as benzene), prior chemotherapy, and Down syndrome among others. People with a family history of leukaemia are also at higher risk. There are four main types of leukaemia — acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL), acute myeloid leukaemia (AML), chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL), and chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) — as well as a number of less common types.

Treatments may include chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and stem cell transplant. The choice of treatment depends on the type of leukaemia, the person's age, and their health status. In some cases, a watch-and-wait approach is appropriate. The survival rates vary by type of leukaemia but have overall greatly improved in the last 40 years.

Leukaemia Resources
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