This National Cancer Institute (NCI) booklet (NIH Publication No. 08-3775) is about leukemia,* cancer that starts in the tissue that forms blood. Each year in the United States, more than 40,800 adults and 3,500 children learn they have this disease.

Learning about medical care for leukemia can help you take an active part in making choices about your care. This booklet tells about:

• Diagnosis
  
  
• Treatment options
  
  
• Supportive care you may need before, during, or after treatment
  
  
• Tests the doctor may give you during follow-up visits
  
  
• Taking part in research studies

This booklet has lists of questions that you may want to ask your doctor. Many people find it helpful to take a list of questions to a doctor visit. To help remember what your doctor says, you can take notes or ask whether you may use a tape recorder. You may also want to have a family member or friend go with you when you talk with the doctor - to take notes, ask questions, or just to listen.

For the latest information about leukemia, please visit our Web site at http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/types/leukemia. We have materials on adult and childhood leukemia. Or, contact our Cancer Information Service. We can answer your questions about cancer. We can also send you NCI booklets and fact sheets. Call 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237) or instant message us through the LiveHelp ¹ service at http://www.cancer.gov/help.

Glossary Terms

A tissue with red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, and other substances suspended in fluid called plasma. Blood takes oxygen and nutrients to the tissues, and carries away wastes.

A term for diseases in which abnormal cells divide without control. Cancer cells can invade nearby tissues and can spread to other parts of the body through the blood and lymph systems. There are several main types of cancer. Carcinoma is cancer that begins in the skin or in tissues that line or cover internal organs. Sarcoma is cancer that begins in bone, cartilage, fat, muscle, blood vessels, or other connective or supportive tissue. Leukemia is cancer that starts in blood-forming tissue such as the bone marrow, and causes large numbers of abnormal blood cells to be produced and enter the blood. Lymphoma and multiple myeloma are cancers that begin in the cells of the immune system. Central nervous system cancers are cancers that begin in the tissues of the brain and spinal cord.

Cancer that starts in blood-forming tissue such as the bone marrow and causes large numbers of blood cells to be produced and enter the bloodstream.

Care given to improve the quality of life of patients who have a serious or life-threatening disease. The goal of supportive care is to prevent or treat as early as possible the symptoms of a disease, side effects caused by treatment of a disease, and psychological, social, and spiritual problems related to a disease or its treatment. Also called comfort care, palliative care, and symptom management.

A group or layer of cells that work together to perform a specific function.