Conditions & Diseases: Cancer: Leukemia Learning Center

Leukemia

Types

There are two classification criteria for leukemia which determines the type of leukemia. It involves the 1). rate or duration of developement, and the 2). type of bone marrow cells that are affected. These classification criteria include:

1. Developmental and progression rate

According to this criteria, leukemia is classified as chronic or acute:

• CHRONIC LEUKEMIA: This is a type of leukemia characterized by a slow progression. In its early stages, chronic leukemia is asymptomatic, because the small number of abnormal white blood cells still can carry out some of the normal white blood cells functions. Symptoms occur in advanced stages when the number of abnormal white blood cells increases.

• ACUTE LEUKEMIA: This is a type of leukemia characterized by a rapid onset and course caused by an increased number of abnormal white blood cells. Acute leukemia can be fatal within weeks or months if not treated.

Most cancers are staged on the I, II, III, and IV system which reflects the rate of tumor development and/or progression. However, the staging for leukemia is a little bit different.

"Because leukemia already involves all of the bone marrow in the body, and in many cases, has spread to other organs such as the liver, spleen, and lymph nodes, the staging of leukemia depends on other information that reflects the patient's outlook for survival. Different staging systems are used for different types of chronic leukemia. Some types do not have any staging system." - American Cancer Society.

The "staging" for each type of leukemia includes:

Stages of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (called stages)

Stages of Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (called stages)

Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia

• "Stages" of CHILD Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (called "groups')
• "Stages" of ADULT Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (called "phases")

Acute Myeloid Leukemia

• "Stages" of CHILD Acute Myeloid Leukemia (called phases)
• "Stages" ADULT Acute Myeloid Leukemia (called phases)

Hairy Cell Leukemia (called phases)

Article by Alina Morrow, MS
Medical Writer
OmniMedicalSearch.com

Leukemia is sometimes misspelled as lukemia or luekemia.

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