Use the menu to choose a different section to read in this guide. Types of Cancer. Medical Illustrations. Risk Factors. Symptoms and Signs. Treatment Options. About Clinical Trials. Latest Research. Coping with Treatment. Follow-Up Care. Questions to Ask the Health Care Team. However, relapse is common. Large granular lymphocytic LGL leukemia is a chronic type of leukemia that causes the body to produce abnormally large lymphocytes.
By the time patients are diagnosed with this condition, symptoms tend to be present and include flu-like symptoms, frequent infections and unexplained weight loss. People with autoimmune diseases tend to be more at risk for developing LGL. Diagnosis may include blood tests and bone marrow aspiration and biopsy. Most patients require treatment shortly after diagnosis, which may include drugs that suppress the immune system.
Others may be able to hold off on treatment to see whether problems arise. HCL is caused when bone marrow makes too many B cells lymphocytes , a type of white blood cell that fights infection.
As the number of leukemia cells increases, fewer healthy white blood cells, red blood cells and platelets are produced. Under a microscope, HCL cells appear to have thin, hair-like outgrowths. Symptoms of HCL may be similar to other types of leukemia and resemble the flu. Bone marrow aspiration and biopsy and blood tests are the primary diagnostic tools. When complications related to HCL do occur—such as low blood cell counts, frequent infections or lymph node swelling—chemotherapy is typically used.
Myelodysplastic syndromes MDS are a group of closely related diseases in which the bone marrow produces too few functioning red blood cells which carry oxygen , white blood cells which fight infection , or platelets which prevent or stop bleeding , or any combination of the three. The different types of myelodysplastic syndromes are diagnosed based on certain changes in the blood cells and bone marrow. The cells in the blood and bone marrow also called myelo usually look abnormal or dysplastic , hence the name myelodysplastic syndromes.
In the past, MDS was commonly referred to as a preleukemic condition and it is still sometimes called preleukemia because some people with MDS develop acute leukemia as a complication of the disease. However, most patients with MDS never develop acute leukemia. By convention, MDS are reclassified as acute myeloid leukemia AML with myelodysplastic features when blood or bone marrow blasts reach or exceed 20 percent.
Make a difference in the fight against cancer by donating to cancer research. Call us anytime. Acute lymphocytic leukemia Acute myeloid leukemia Chronic lymphocytic leukemia Chronic myeloid leukemia Hairy cell leukemia. This page was updated on September 21, Types of leukemia Leukemia is classified by the type of white blood cells affected and by how quickly the disease progresses. A person has a CR when:. The combination of cytarabine Cytosar-U given over 4 to 7 days and an anthracycline drug, such as daunorubicin Cerubidine or idarubicin Idamycin , given for 3 days is used most often.
Patients may also be given hydoxyurea Droxia, Hydrea to help lower white blood cell counts. In addition to killing leukemia cells, these drugs also damage healthy cells, increasing the risk of infection and bleeding see below. Most patients will need to stay in the hospital for 3 to 5 weeks during induction therapy before their blood counts return to normal. Sometimes, 2 rounds of therapy are needed to achieve a CR. Some older adults may not be able to have induction therapy with the standard drugs.
The drugs decitabine Dacogen , azacitidine Vidaza , and low dose cytarabine may be used instead. A clinical trial is also an option. Post-remission therapy. After induction therapy, a variety of different drugs are used to destroy AML cells that remain but cannot be detected by medical tests. AML will almost certainly recur if no further treatment is given after a CR. Consolidation therapy. Chemotherapy or stem cell transplantation may be used for consolidation therapy.
Younger adults in remission are commonly given 2 to 4 rounds of high- or intermediate-dose cytarabine or other intensive chemotherapy at monthly intervals. Several different regimens are used for older patients. Although chemotherapy is usually given in the hospital, most of the recovery time can be spent at home. A stem cell transplant is a medical procedure in which bone marrow that contains leukemia is destroyed and then replaced by highly specialized cells, called hematopoietic stem cells, that develop into healthy bone marrow.
Hematopoietic stem cells are blood-forming cells found both in the bloodstream and in the bone marrow. Today, this procedure is more commonly called a stem cell transplant, rather than bone marrow transplant, because it is the stem cells in the blood that are typically being transplanted, not the actual bone marrow tissue. Side effects depend on the type of transplant, your general health, and other factors.
Learn more about the basics of stem cell and bone marrow transplantation. Chemotherapy for AML attacks rapidly dividing cells, including those in healthy tissues, such as the hair, lining of the mouth, intestines, and bone marrow.
People with AML receiving chemotherapy may lose their hair, develop mouth sores, or have nausea and vomiting. Hair will regrow after treatment is finished, and there are effective drugs to help prevent and control nausea and vomiting.
The side effects of chemotherapy may be different depending on the drugs used. Patients are encouraged to talk with their doctors about short-term and long-term side effects before treatment begins. People with AML often receive antibiotics to prevent and treat infections and will need transfusions of red blood cells and platelets throughout chemotherapy. Patients concerned about this are encouraged to talk with a fertility specialist before treatment begins.
This type of treatment blocks the growth and spread of leukemia cells while limiting damage to healthy cells. Recent studies show that not all cancers have the same targets. To find the most effective treatment, your doctor may run tests to identify the genes, proteins, and other factors in your tumor.
This helps doctors better match each patient with the most effective treatment whenever possible. In addition, many research studies are taking place now to find out more about specific molecular targets and new treatments directed at them.
Learn more about the basics of targeted treatments. The following targeted treatments may be used for AML, depending on the gene mutations found in the leukemia cells:. Talk with your doctor about possible side effects for a specific medication and how they can be managed.
This subtype is very sensitive to the effects of all-trans retinoic acid ATRA. ATRA is a drug that is similar to vitamin A and is given by mouth. Less commonly, chemotherapy containing regimens see above with idarubicin, daunorubicin, or cytarabine may also be used. Arsenic trioxide may be used during induction therapy alone or in combination with ATRA during post-remission therapy or if APL comes back after treatment.
Mild to severe bleeding is a common symptom of APL. Patients with this subtype often need many platelet and blood transfusions during initial treatment. Compared with other subtypes of AML where maintenance therapy is not used, some patients with APL may benefit from use of ATRA plus low dose oral chemotherapy for 1 to 2 years after the initial treatment.
Radiation therapy is the use of high-energy x-rays or other particles to destroy cancer cells. A doctor who specializes in giving radiation therapy to treat cancer is called a radiation oncologist. The most common type of radiation therapy is called external-beam radiation therapy, which is radiation given from a machine outside the body. A radiation therapy regimen, or schedule, usually consists of a specific number of treatments given over a set period of time.
Because AML is found throughout the blood, radiation therapy is generally used only when leukemia cells have spread to the brain or to shrink a myeloid sarcoma. Side effects from radiation therapy may include fatigue, mild skin reactions, upset stomach, and loose bowel movements. Most side effects go away soon after treatment is finished.
Learn more about the basics of radiation therapy. Leukemia and its treatment often cause side effects. This approach is called palliative or supportive care, and it includes supporting the patient with his or her physical, emotional, and social needs. Palliative care is any treatment that focuses on reducing symptoms, improving quality of life, and supporting patients and their families.
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