Where is leukemia

Click here to access information about ALL in children and teens. Acute myeloid leukemia AML is a cancer of the bone marrow and the blood. It progresses rapidly without treatment and affects mostly cells that aren't fully developed; therefore, these cells can't carry out their normal functions. AML can be a difficult disease to treat and researchers are studying new approaches to AML therapy in clinical trials.

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia CLL Is a type of blood cancer that begins in the bone marrow Can progress either slowly or quickly depending on the form it takes Click here to access CLL statistics. Hairy cell leukemia HCL Is a type of blood cancer that begins in the bone marrow Is a rare type of chronic leukemia Hairy cell leukemia gets its name from the short, thin projections that look like hair on its cells.

What You Should Know Many people with hairy cell leukemia live good-quality lives for years with medical care. Chronic myelomonocytic leukemia CMML Is an uncommon blood cancer that has features of two other types of blood cancers. There are about 1, cases each year.

Generally affects older adults. Juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia JMML Is an uncommon blood cancer that have overlapping features of two other types of blood cancers. Large granular lymphocytic LGL leukemia is a type of chronic leukemia affecting white blood cells called "lymphocytes. In general, leukemia is thought to occur when some blood cells acquire changes mutations in their genetic material or DNA. A cell's DNA contains the instructions that tell a cell what to do.

Normally, the DNA tells the cell to grow at a set rate and to die at a set time. In leukemia, the mutations tell the blood cells to continue growing and dividing. When this happens, blood cell production becomes out of control.

Over time, these abnormal cells can crowd out healthy blood cells in the bone marrow, leading to fewer healthy white blood cells, red blood cells and platelets, causing the signs and symptoms of leukemia. However, most people with known risk factors don't get leukemia. And many people with leukemia have none of these risk factors. Leukemia care at Mayo Clinic. 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. These abnormal white blood cells are not able to fight infection and impair the ability of the bone marrow to produce red blood cells and platelets.

Leukemia can be either acute or chronic. Chronic leukemia progresses more slowly than acute leukemia, which requires immediate treatment. Leukemia is also classified as lymphocytic or myelogenous. Lymphocytic leukemia refers to abnormal cell growth in the marrow cells that become lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell that plays a role in the immune system.

In myelogenous leukemia, abnormal cell growth occurs in the marrow cells that mature into red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets.

There are four broad classifications of leukemia:. Leukemia occurs in both adults and children. Decades of research have led to vastly improved outcomes for children diagnosed with ALL. Although experts are uncertain about the causes of leukemia, they have identified several risk factors that include the following:.

Your doctor will conduct a complete blood count CBC to determine if you have leukemia. This test may reveal if you have leukemic cells.