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Leukaemia and other allied blood disorders
Background
Leukaemia (see also Cancer) is a group of potentially life-threatening malignant diseases affecting the production of blood cells. Blood cells are derived from haemopoietic ('blood forming') stem cells which are found in the bone marrow (a spongy tissue found in nearly all bones in children and in the spine, pelvis, ribs, skull and upper ends of arm and leg bones in adults).
There are three main types of blood cell: white cells; platelets (which assist in blood clotting); and red cells (which carry oxygen). The white cells include granulocytes (neutrophils, eosinophils and basophils), monocytes and lymphocytes. The most common type is the neutrophil which is needed to fight bacterial infection. Lymphocytes are divided into B cells which are involved in producing antibodies and T cells which are involved in the immune response.
Leukaemia (Leukemia - US) can be classified into two main groups depending on whether myeloid cells (neutrophils, basophils, eosinophils and monocytes) or lymphoid cells (lymphocytes) are chiefly affected. The other key distinction is between acute leukaemia in which primitive cells accumulate in the marrow and which is rapid in onset and, if untreated, in progression; and chronic leukaemia in which there is an increase in mature neutrophils or lymphocytes in the blood and which is slower in onset and usually slower to progress, even if untreated. There are thus four main types of leukaemia: acute myeloid; acute lymphoblastic; chronic myeloid; and chronic lymphocytic. The most common form of leukaemia in children is acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, whereas the most common form in older adults is chronic lymphocytic leukaemia.
Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (all) 
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