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Access free health guides and tips curated by Dr Karuna Kumar.
Advanced diagnostics and treatment for all types of leukemia.
Leukemia is a group of blood cancers that begin in blood-forming tissues such as the bone marrow. Abnormal blood-forming cells multiply or survive in an uncontrolled way and can interfere with the production of normal red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets.
The white blood cell count may be high, normal, or low depending on the type and stage of leukemia. Diagnosis requires appropriate blood tests and, when indicated, bone marrow and genetic or molecular testing.
Different types of leukemia can cause different problems. You might not notice any signs in the early stages of some forms. When you do have symptoms, they may include:
No one knows exactly what causes leukemia. People who have it have certain unusual chromosomes, but the chromosomes don’t cause leukemia.
You can’t prevent leukemia, but certain things may trigger it. You might have a higher risk if you:
Blood has three types of cells: white blood cells that fight infection, red blood cells that carry oxygen, and platelets that help blood clot.
Leukemia can interfere with the normal production and function of blood cells. Depending on the type and stage, the white blood cell count may be high, normal, or low, and abnormal cells may crowd the bone marrow or accumulate in the blood and tissues. Over time, you may not have enough red blood cells to supply oxygen, enough platelets to clot your blood, or enough normal white blood cells to fight infection.
Leukemia is grouped by how fast it develops and gets worse, and by which type of blood cell is involved.
The first group, how fast it develops, is divided into acute and chronic leukemia.
Leukemia is classified by how quickly it progresses and by the blood-forming cell line involved. Acute leukemias generally progress rapidly, while chronic leukemias often progress more slowly, but each type requires its own diagnostic and treatment approach.
The second group, what type of cell is involved, is divided into lymphocytic and myelogenous leukemia.
The four main types of leukemia are:
Your doctor will need to check for signs of leukemia in your blood or bone marrow. They might do tests including:
The treatment you get depends on the type of leukemia you have, how far it’s spread, and how healthy you are. The main options are:
Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill cancer cells in your blood and bone marrow. You can get the medicine:
Radiation uses high-energy X-rays to kill leukemia cells or keep them from growing. You can get it all over or in only one part of your body where there are a lot of cancer cells.
Biologic therapy , also called immunotherapy, helps your immune system find and attack cancer cells. Drugs like interleukins and interferon can help boost your body's natural defenses against leukemia.
Targeted therapy uses drugs to block specific genes or proteins that cancer cells need to grow. This treatment can stop the signals that leukemia cells use to grow and divide, cut off their blood supply, or kill them directly.
A stem cell transplant replaces the leukemia cells in your bone marrow with new ones that make blood. Your doctor can get the new stem cells from your own body or from a donor. First, you'll have high doses of chemotherapy to destroy the cancer cells in your bone marrow. Then, you'll get the new stem cells through an infusion into one of your veins. They will grow into new, healthy blood cells.
Surgery: Your doctor can remove your spleen if it’s filled with cancer cells and is pressing on nearby organs. This procedure is called a splenectomy.
The specific causes of leukemia are unknown to scientists. It can arise as a result of a mix of hereditary and environmental factors. Some leukemias can arise in people who have already had treatment for other cancers.
Explore our specialized care options within leukemia