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Leukemia

Frequently Asked Questions

2. What is leukemia?

Types of blood cells made by the bone marrow and their functions. - Click to enlarge in new window.
Click to enlarge image

Leukemia is a cancer of the blood cells. It usually begins in the bone marrow where blood cells are formed. In leukemia, the bone marrow produces abnormal white blood cells. Over time, as the number of abnormal white blood cells builds up in the blood, they crowd out healthy blood cells. This makes it difficult for the blood to carry out its normal functions.