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Leukaemia

Leukaemia is a type of blood cancer which develops in white blood cells.

Last modified: December 22, 2021

Quick facts about leukaemiaQuick facts

  • Leukaemia develops when white blood cells, which reside in our bone marrow (the soft tissue inside our bones), grow abnormally
  • In 2021, it’s estimated that 4,903 men and women will be diagnosed with leukaemia in Australia
  • 1 in 61 Australians will be diagnosed with leukaemia by the age of 85
  • Leukaemia is classified based on whether it is acute or chronic. Acute leukaemia develops and progresses rapidly, while chronic leukaemia appears gradually and grows slowly over months to years

Types of leukaemiaTypes of leukaemia

There are four main types of leukaemia, depending on the type of white blood cell that is affected (either myeloid or lymphoid) and whether the cancer is fast growing (acute) or relatively slow growing (chronic):

Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL)

ALL develops from immature lymphocytes, which are a type of white blood cell. ALL progresses quickly and most commonly occurs in children under the age of four

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Acute myeloid leukaemia (AML)

AML develops from immature white blood cells called myeloblasts. It is the most common form of acute leukaemia in adults, primarily affecting Australians over the age of 65

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Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL)

CLL develops from abnormal white blood cells known as lymphocytes. It is the most common type of chronic leukaemia in Australia and is often very slow growing

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Chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML)

CML develops from a type of myeloid cell called granulocytes. It typically grows slowly in the early phases but can transform into acute leukaemia

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Treatment for leukaemia

There are many different types of treatment for leukaemia. Your treatment will depend on you and your cancer.

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ReferencesReferences

For a full list of references, click here.
  1. Cancer Australia. (2021). Leukaemia. Retrieved on 22 December 2021 from https://www.canceraustralia.gov.au/cancer-types/leukaemia/statistics
  2. Cancer Council. (2020). Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL). Retrieved on 22 December 2021 from https://www.cancercouncil.com.au/acute-lymphoblastic-leukaemia/
  3. Cancer Council. (2020). Chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML). Retrieved on 22 December 2021 from https://www.cancercouncil.com.au/chronic-myeloid-leukaemia/
  4. Cancer Council. (2020). Acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). Retrieved on 22 December 2021 from https://www.cancercouncil.com.au/acute-myeloid-leukaemia/
  5. Cancer Council. (2020). Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL). Retrieved on 22 December 2021 from https://www.cancercouncil.com.au/chronic-lymphocytic-leukaemia/
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