Also called: Also called: CLL, CML
Leukemia is cancer of the white blood cells. White blood cells help your body fight infection. Your blood cells form in your bone marrow. In leukemia, however, the bone marrow produces abnormal white blood cells. These cells crowd out the healthy blood cells, making it hard for blood to do its work.
Leukemia can develop quickly or slowly. Acute leukemia develops quickly. Chronic leukemia develops slowly. It usually occurs during or after middle age. At first, the abnormal cells still function. Eventually, however, the disease gets worse. It might cause
- Infections
- Fever
- Weight loss
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Tiredness
You can often control chronic leukemia, but it is hard to cure. You might not need immediate treatment if you don't have symptoms. Treatments may include chemotherapy, radiation, biological therapy, surgery or stem cell transplantation.
National Cancer Institute
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Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (PDQ): Treatment
(National Cancer Institute) - http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/treatment/CLL/patient/
Also available in Spanish http://www.cancer.gov/espanol/pdq/tratamiento/leucemialinfocitica/patient -
Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (PDQ): Treatment(National Cancer Institute) - http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/treatment/CML/patient/
Also available in Spanish http://www.cancer.gov/espanol/pdq/tratamiento/leucemiamielogena/patient
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Leukemia
(Patient Education Institute) - Requires Flash Player - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/leukemia/htm/index.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/tutorials/leukemiaspanish/htm/index.htm
- Leukemia(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/leukemia/DS00351/DSECTION=all&METHOD=print
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What You Need to Know about Leukemia(National Cancer Institute) - http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/wyntk/leukemia
- Methadone Kills Resistant Leukemia Cells(08/01/2008, HealthDay) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_67677.html
- Bone Marrow Aspiration and Biopsy(American Association for Clinical Chemistry) - http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/bone_marrow/test.html
- How Is Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Diagnosed?(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_3X_How_Is_Chronic_Lymphocytic_Leukemia_Diagnosed.asp?rnav=cri
- How Is Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Staged?(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_3X_How_Is_Chronic_Lymphocytic_Leukemia_Staged.asp?rnav=cri
- How Is Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML) Diagnosed?(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_3x_How_Is_Chronic_Myeloid_Leukemia_CML_Diagnosed.asp?rnav=cri
- How Is Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML) Staged?(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_3x_How_Is_Chronic_Myeloid_Leukemia_CML_Staged.asp?rnav=cri
- Platelet Count(American Association for Clinical Chemistry) - http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/platelet/test.html
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Understanding Blood Counts(Leukemia & Lymphoma Society) - http://www.leukemia-lymphoma.org/all_mat_toc.adp?item_id=9452
Also available in Spanish http://www.leukemia-lymphoma.org/all_mat_toc.adp?item_id=186980
- White Blood Cell Differential Count(American Association for Clinical Chemistry) - http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/differential/test.html
- Blood Transfusion(Leukemia & Lymphoma Society) - http://www.leukemia-lymphoma.org/all_mat_toc.adp?item_id=17813
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Hairy Cell Leukemia (PDQ): Treatment(National Cancer Institute) - http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/treatment/hairy-cell-leukemia/patient/
Also available in Spanish http://www.cancer.gov/espanol/pdq/tratamiento/leucemia-de-celulas-pilosas/patient
- Immunotherapy(Leukemia & Lymphoma Society) - Links to PDF - http://www.leukemia-lymphoma.org/attachments/National/br_1208892565.pdf
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MedlinePlus: Bone Marrow Transplantation(National Library of Medicine) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/bonemarrowtransplantation.html
Also available in Spanish http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/bonemarrowtransplantation.html
- New Approaches to Treatment(Leukemia & Lymphoma Society) - http://www.leukemia-lymphoma.org/all_page?item_id=4702
- Treatment of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia by Risk Group(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_4X_Treatment_of_Chronic_Lymphocytic_Leukemia_by_Risk_Group.asp?rnav=cri
- Treatment of Chronic Myeloid Leukemia by Phase(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_4x_Treatment_of_Chronic_Myeloid_Leukemia_by_Phase_CML.asp?rnav=cri
- Treatment of Hairy Cell Leukemia (HCL)(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_4X_Treatment_of_Hairy_Cell_Leukemia_HCL_62.asp?sitearea=
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Understanding Drug Therapy and Managing Side Effects(Leukemia & Lymphoma Society) - Large PDF file - http://www.leukemia-lymphoma.org/attachments/National/br_1171992654.pdf
Also available in Spanish http://www.leukemia-lymphoma.org/attachments/National/br_1179328567.pdf
- Do We Know What Causes Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML)?(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_2x_Do_We_Know_What_Causes_Chronic_Myeloid_Leukemia_CML.asp?sitearea=
- Do We Know What Causes Leukemia?(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_2X_Do_we_know_what_causes_leukemia_62.asp
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What Are the Risk Factors for Chronic Leukemia?(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_2X_What_are_the_risk_factors_for_leukemia_62.asp
Also available in Spanish http://www.cancer.org/docroot/esp/content/esp_5_1x_prevencion_y_factores_de_riesgo_62.asp?
- Integrative Medicine & Complementary and Alternative Therapies As Part of Blood Cancer Care(Leukemia & Lymphoma Society) - Links to PDF - http://www.leukemia-lymphoma.org/attachments/National/br_1150734030.pdf
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Coping with Survival(Leukemia & Lymphoma Society) - http://www.leukemia-lymphoma.org/all_mat_toc.adp?item_id=28462
Also available in Spanish http://www.leukemia-lymphoma.org/all_mat_toc.adp?item_id=181034
- Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL)(Leukemia & Lymphoma Society) - http://www.leukemia-lymphoma.org/all_page?item_id=7059
- Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (CML)(Leukemia & Lymphoma Society) - http://www.leukemia-lymphoma.org/all_page?item_id=8501
- Chronic Myelomonocytic Leukemias (CMML)(Leukemia & Lymphoma Society) - http://www.leukemia-lymphoma.org/all_mat_toc.adp?item_id=69974
- Hairy Cell Leukemia(Leukemia & Lymphoma Society) - http://www.leukemia-lymphoma.org/all_page?item_id=8507
- Leukemia - T-Cell(American Society of Clinical Oncology) - http://www.cancer.net/patient/Cancer+Types/Leukemia+-+T-Cell
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What Is Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML)?(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_1x_What_Is_Chronic_Myeloid_Leukemia_CML.asp?sitearea=
Also available in Spanish http://www.cancer.org/docroot/esp/content/esp_5_1x_que_es_62.asp?
- Pain Management(Leukemia & Lymphoma Society) - Links to PDF - http://www.leukemia-lymphoma.org/attachments/National/br_1208959618.pdf
- What Should You Ask Your Doctor about Leukemia?(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_5X_What_should_you_ask_your_physician_about_leukemia_62.asp
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Leukemia(Patient Education Institute) - Requires Flash Player - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/leukemia/htm/index.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/tutorials/leukemiaspanish/htm/index.htm
- Insurance(Leukemia & Lymphoma Society) - http://www.leukemia-lymphoma.org/all_page?item_id=8763
- Patient Financial Aid(Leukemia & Lymphoma Society) - http://www.leukemia-lymphoma.org/all_page?item_id=4603
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Leukemia(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Leukemia%22
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Dasatinib and Nilotinib Both Effective for Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (CML) When Imatinib Won't Work(National Cancer Institute) - http://www.cancer.gov/clinicaltrials/results/dastinib-nilotinib-CML1007
- Revlimid May Help Against Chronic Leukemia(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/NWS/content/NWS_1_1x_Revlimid_May_Help_Against_Chronic_Leukemia.asp
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Monoclonal B-cell lymphocytosis and chronic lymphocytic leukemia. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18687638&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: No significance of derivative chromosome 9 deletion on the clearance... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18543309&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Intermittent target inhibition with dasatinib 100 mg once daily preserves... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18541900&tool=MedlinePlus
- Leukemia, Adult Chronic -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=( leukemia,lymphocytic,chronic,b-cell[majr]+OR+leukemia,myelogenous,chronic, bcr-abl+positive[majr]+OR+(leukemia[majr]+AND+chronic[text]))+AND+adult[mh]+AND+english[la]+AND+humans[mh]+AND+(patient+education+handout[pt]+OR+review[pt]+OR+guideline[pt]+OR+clinical+trial[pt]+OR+jsubsetk[text]+OR+jsubsetaim[text]+OR+jsubsetn[text])+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt]+OR+case+reports[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- National Marrow Donor Program: Glossary(National Marrow Donor Program) - http://www.marrow.org/GLOSSARY/
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National Cancer Institute Cancer Centers Program(National Cancer Institute) - http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/NCI/cancer-centers
Also available in Spanish http://www.cancer.gov/espanol/instituto/hojas-informativas/programa-centros-oncologicos
- American Cancer Society - http://www.cancer.org/
- Leukemia & Lymphoma Society - http://www.leukemia-lymphoma.org/hm_lls
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National Cancer Institute - http://www.cancer.gov/
- National Marrow Donor Program - http://www.marrow.org/
- Blood & Marrow Transplant Newsletter(BMT InfoNet) - http://www.bmtinfonet.org/letter.html
- Latest News(Leukemia & Lymphoma Society) - http://www.leukemia-lymphoma.org/all_news_brief?news_type=4&source_id=1&cat_id=140
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Leukemia Trial Results(National Cancer Institute) - http://www.cancer.gov/clinicaltrials/leukemia-updates
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Cancer Stat Facts: Leukemia(National Cancer Institute) - http://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/leuks.html
- Leukemia Facts and Statistics(Leukemia & Lymphoma Society) - http://www.leukemia-lymphoma.org/all_page?item_id=9346
- Leukemia, Adult Acute - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/leukemiaadultacute.html
- Leukemia, Childhood - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/leukemiachildhood.html
- Blood, Heart and Circulation - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/bloodheartandcirculation.html
- Cancers - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/cancers.html
- Immune System - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/immunesystem.html
The primary NIH organization for research on Leukemia, Adult Chronic is the National Cancer Institute - http://www.nci.nih.gov/