Leukemia

Leukemia or leukaemia is a cancer of white blood cells and bone marrow. When a person has leukemia, the body creates too many white blood cells (leukocytes).

There are many kinds of leukemia. Leukemia is part of a bigger group of diseases, the blood cancers (hematological neoplasms). Without treatment, leukemia may lead to death within weeks, months, or years. The life of the person depends upon the type of leukemia.

In 2000, about 256,000 children and adults around the world developed some form of leukemia, and 209,000 died from it.^[1] About 90% of all leukemias are seen in adults.^[2]

1. ↑ "WHO Disease and injury country estimates". World Health Organization. 2009. Retrieved 2009-11-11.
2. ↑ "SEER Stat Fact Sheets: Leukemia". National Cancer Institute. 2011. Approximately 10.8% were diagnosed under age 20