Leukemia is cancer of the white blood cells. It is the most common type of childhood cancer.
Your blood cells form in your bone marrow. White blood cells help your body fight infection. 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 is a fast growing type while chronic leukemia grows slowly. Children with leukemia usually have one of the acute types.
Risk factors for childhood leukemia include having a brother or sister with leukemia, having certain genetic disorders and having had radiation or chemotherapy. Treatment often cures childhood leukemia. Treatment options include chemotherapy, other drug therapy and radiation. In some cases bone marrow and blood stem cell transplantation might help.
National Cancer Institute
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Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (PDQ): Treatment
(National Cancer Institute) - http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/treatment/childALL/patient/
Also available in Spanish http://www.cancer.gov/espanol/pdq/tratamiento/leucemia-linfoblastica-infantil/patient/ -
Childhood Acute Myeloid Leukemia / Other Myeloid Malignancies (PDQ): Treatment(National Cancer Institute) - http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/treatment/childAML/patient/
Also available in Spanish http://www.cancer.gov/espanol/pdq/tratamiento/LMAinfantil/Patient
- What Is Childhood Leukemia?(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_1X_What_is_childhood_leukemia_24.asp?rnav=cri
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Childhood Cancer: Leukemia(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/parent/medical/cancer/cancer_leukemia.html
Also available in Spanish http://kidshealth.org/parent/en_espanol/medicos/cancer_leukemia_esp.html
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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
- New Advances Could Battle Cancer Cell by Cell(10/08/2008, HealthDay) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_70216.html
- New Test Detects Rare Leukemia More Quickly(10/06/2008, HealthDay) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_70100.html
- Survival Rates Improve for Kids with Blood Cancers(09/10/2008, HealthDay) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_69135.html
- Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia(College of American Pathologists) - Links to PDF - http://www.cap.org/apps/docs/reference/myBiopsy/LeukemiaAcuteLymphoblastic.pdf
- Bone Marrow Aspiration and Biopsy(American Association for Clinical Chemistry) - http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/bone_marrow/test.html
- How Is Childhood Leukemia Classified?(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_3X_How_is_childhood_leukemia_staged_24.asp?sitearea=
- How Is Childhood Leukemia Diagnosed?(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/cri/content/cri_2_4_3x_how_is_leukemia_diagnosed_24.asp
- 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
- Immunotherapy(Leukemia & Lymphoma Society) - Links to PDF - http://www.leukemia-lymphoma.org/attachments/National/br_1208892565.pdf
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Long-Term and Late Effects of Treatment for Childhood Leukemia or Lymphoma(Leukemia & Lymphoma Society) - Links to PDF - http://www.leukemia-lymphoma.org/attachments/National/br_1184160690.pdf
Also available in Spanish http://www.leukemia-lymphoma.org/attachments/National/br_1208890616.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 Children with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_4X_Treatment_of_Children_with_Acute_Lymphocytic_Leukemia_24.asp?sitearea=
- Treatment of Children with Acute Myelogenous Leukemia(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_4X_Treatment_of_Children_with_Acute_Myelogenous_Leukemia_24.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
- What Are the Risk Factors for Childhood Leukemia?(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_2X_What_are_the_risk_factors_for_leukemia_24.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
- Coping with Childhood Leukemia and Lymphoma(Leukemia & Lymphoma Society) - Large PDF file - http://www.leukemia-lymphoma.org/attachments/National/br_1181853072.pdf
- Chronic Myelomonocytic Leukemias (CMML)(Leukemia & Lymphoma Society) - http://www.leukemia-lymphoma.org/all_mat_toc.adp?item_id=69974
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JAMA Patient Page: Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia(American Medical Association) - Links to PDF - http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/reprint/297/11/1278.pdf
Also available in Spanish http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/data/297/11/1278/DC1/1
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Care for Children and Adolescents with Cancer: Questions and Answers(National Cancer Institute) - http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/NCI/children-adolescents
Also available in Spanish http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/facsheet/NCI/children-adolescents-Spanish
- Children Diagnosed with Cancer: Returning to School(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_6x_When_Your_Child_Goes_Back_to_School.asp?sitearea=
- Differences between Cancers in Adults and Children(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/cri/content/cri_2_4_1x_what_are_the_differences_between_cancers_in_adults_and_in_children_31.asp
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Magnetic Field Exposure and Cancer: Questions and Answers(National Cancer Institute) - http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Risk/magnetic-fields
- What Happens After Treatment for Childhood Leukemia?(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_5X_What_happens_after_treatment_24.asp?sitearea=
- What Should You Ask Your Doctor about Childhood Leukemia?(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_5X_What_should_you_ask_your_physician_about_leukemia_24.asp
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Young People with Cancer: A Handbook for Parents(National Cancer Institute) - http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/youngpeople
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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
- Insurance Issues (Cancer in Children)(Children's Oncology Group, National Children's Cancer Society) - http://www.curesearch.org/for_parents_and_families/intreatment/living/article.aspx?ArticleId=3118&StageId=2&TopicId=14&Level=1
- Patient Financial Aid(Leukemia & Lymphoma Society) - http://www.leukemia-lymphoma.org/all_page?item_id=4603
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Childhood Leukemia(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/term=leukemia+%5BCONDITION%5D+AND+child+%5BAGE-GROUP%5D
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Childhood Cancers: Questions and Answers(National Cancer Institute) - http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Sites-Types/childhood
- What's New in Leukemia Research and Treatment?(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_6X_Whats_new_in_leukemia_research_and_treatment_24.asp
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Gemtuzumab ozogamicin as part of reduced-intensity conditioning for allogeneic hematopoietic... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18765552&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Bone-marrow relapse in paediatric acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18760243&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Molecular mechanisms involved in chemoresistance in paediatric acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18720757&tool=MedlinePlus
- Leukemia, Childhood -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=leukemia[majr]+AND+(child[mh]+OR+infant[mh]+OR+adolescent[mh])+AND+english[la]+AND+(review[pt]+OR+guideline[pt]+OR+clinical+trial[pt]+OR+patient+education+handout[pt]+OR+jsubsetk[text]+OR+jsubsetaim[text]+OR+jsubsetn[text])+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[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/
- Find a Pediatric Hematologist/Oncologist(American Society of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology) - http://www.association-office.com/aspho/etools/publicdir/search.cfm
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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/
- 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(National Cancer Institute) - http://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/leuks.html
- What Are the Key Statistics about Childhood Leukemia?(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/cri/content/cri_2_4_1x_what_are_the_key_statistics_for_leukemia_24.asp
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Some Kinds of Cancer Kids Get(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/kid/health_problems/cancer/cancer_kinds.html
Also available in Spanish http://kidshealth.org/kid/en_espanol/enfermadades/cancer_kinds_esp.html
- Leukemia, Adult Acute - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/leukemiaadultacute.html
- Leukemia, Adult Chronic - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/leukemiaadultchronic.html
- Blood, Heart and Circulation - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/bloodheartandcirculation.html
- Cancers - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/cancers.html
- Children and Teenagers - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/childrenandteenagers.html
- Immune System - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/immunesystem.html
The primary NIH organization for research on Leukemia, Childhood is the National Cancer Institute - http://www.nci.nih.gov/