Childhood Leukemia

Summary

• Leukemia is a type of cancer that starts in blood-forming tissue such as the bone marrow and causes large numbers of blood cells to be produced and enter the bloodstream. In childhood leukemia, the bone marrow produces abnormal white blood cells, which are leukemia cells.

• Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) are the most common types of childhood leukemia. Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) rarely develop in children.

• In cancers such as leukemia that appear throughout the body during their earliest stages, screening does not appear to be useful. Instead, children with possible symptoms of leukemia should be seen by their physician.

• Each year about 2,000 children are diagnosed with childhood leukemia.