Leukaemia

Leukaemia is a blood cancer. It affects the white blood cells, which are a really important part of the immune system that fights infection.

Around 7,600 adults are diagnosed with leukaemia in the UK every year.

Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, adult (ALL)

Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia is one of four main types of leukaemia.

Acute myeloid leukaemia, adult (AML)

Acute myeloid leukaemia is one of four main types of leukaemia.

Acute promyelocytic leukaemia (APL)

Acute promyelocytic leukaemia (APL) is a type of acute myeloid leukaemia (AML), which is one of four main types of leukaemia.

Chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML)

Chronic myeloid leukaemia is one of four main types of leukaemia.

Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL)

Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia is one of four main types of leukaemia. It is the most common form of leukaemia in adults.

Hairy cell leukaemia (HCL)

Hairy cell leukaemia is a rare type of chronic leukaemia, so called because the leukaemia cells look as if there are hair-like protrusions on their surface when viewed down a microscope.

Large granular lymphocytic leukaemia (LGL)

Large granular lymphocytic leukaemia is a rare type of chronic leukaemia, which affects a type of white blood cell called T-cells.

T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (T-ALL)

T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia is a rare type of leukaemia that is more common in older children and teenagers.

Chronic myelomonocytic leukaemia (CMML)

Chronic myelomonocytic leukaemia is a rare type of leukaemia, which is tends to affect people in later life. There is a childhood form called JMML, but this is extremely rare.