Leukemia or leukaemia is a cancer of the blood or bone marrow and is characterized by an abnormal proliferation of blood cells, usually white blood cells (leukocytes). It is part of the broad group of diseases called hematological neoplasms.

Damage to the bone marrow, by way of displacing the normal bone marrow cells with higher numbers of immature white blood cells, results in a lack of blood platelets, which are important in the blood clotting process. This means people with leukemia may become bruised, bleed excessively, or develop pinprick bleeds (petechiae).

The red blood cell deficiency leads to anemia, which may cause dyspnea. All symptoms can be attributed to other diseases; for diagnosis, blood tests and a bone marrow examination are required.

Leukemia is clinically and pathologically split into its acute and chronic forms.

Acute leukemia is characterized by the rapid proliferation of immature blood cells.

Chronic leukemia is distinguished by the excessive build up of relatively mature, but still abnormal, blood cells and typically taking months to years to progress.

Acute lymphocytic leukemia (Also known as Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia or ALL) is the most common type of leukemia in young children. Acute myelogenous leukemia (also known as Acute Myeloid Leukemia or AML) occurs more commonly in adults than in children.

Many different chemotherapeutic plans are available for the treatment of acute myelogenous leukemia. Overall, the strategy is to control bone marrow and systemic (whole-body) disease while offering specific treatment for the central nervous system (CNS), if involved. In general, most oncologists rely on combinations of drugs for the initial, induction phase of chemotherapy. Such combination chemotherapy usually offers the benefits of early remission (lessening of the disease) and a lower risk of disease resistance.

Proper management of acute lymphocytic leukemia focuses on control of bone marrow and systemic (whole-body) disease as well as prevention of cancer at other sites, particularly the central nervous system (CNS). In general, acute lymphocytic leukemia treatment is divided into several phases:

Induction chemotherapy to bring about remission - that is, leukemic cells no longer found in bone marrow samples.

Consolidation therapy (about 1-3 months in adults and 4-8 months in children): in order to eliminate any leukemia cells still "hiding" within the body.

Maintenance treatments with chemotherapeutic drugs are done in order to prevent disease recurrence once remission has been achieved.

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia is probably incurable by present treatments. But, fortunately, a large group of chronic lymphocytic leukemia patients do not require therapy. Therefore, most oncologists base the treatment upon both the stage and symptoms of the patient.

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