Leukemia Facts

Leukemia is a cancer of the blood forming tissues and usually affects the white blood cells.  The cause of most types of leukemia is not known though it is known that exposure to radiation and certain chemicals can increase the risk of developing leukemia.

There are four major types of leukemia, including acute lymphocytic, acute myeloid, chronic lymphocytic, and chronic myeloid.  Each varies in regard to the progression of the disease and the kind of white blood cell affected.

Acute lymphocytic leukemia is the most common cancer in children, accounting for approximately twenty-five percent of all cancers in children under age 15.  Acute lymphocytic leukemia most often strikes children between the ages of three and five, but it can affect any age group.

Previously, most children who had acute leukemia died within a relatively short period of time.  Now, many children are cured and in over ninety-five percent of patients with acute lymphocytic leukemia the disease is brought into remission after the induction chemotherapy, with an overall cure rate of 80%

 

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