Types of leukemia

There are several different types of leukemia. The types of leukemia are first divided according to the type of stem cell they developed from:

Myelogenous leukemias develop from abnormal myeloid cells.

Lymphocytic leukemias (also known as lymphoblastic leukemias) develop from abnormal lymphoid cells.

The types of leukemia are further grouped according to how quickly the leukemia develops and grows:

Acute leukemias start suddenly, developing within days or weeks. The number of leukemia cells in the blood can rise very fast and the blood cannot do its job. Acute leukemias get worse quickly and need to be treated right away.

Chronic leukemias develop slowly over months or years, and may not cause any symptoms early in the disease. Symptoms start to appear as the number of leukemia cells in the blood or bone marrow increases.

There are four main types of leukemia:

Because each type of leukemia develops and grows differently, each type is treated differently. It is important for your doctor to find out which type of leukemia you have so you can get the treatment that works best for that type.

Last modified on: 10 December 2009