Leukemia develops when a blood cell undergoes a transformation into a malignant cell -- one capable of uncontrolled growth. It is a cancer of the body's blood-forming tissues, including the bone marrow and lymph system, in which the bone marrow produces a large number of abnormal white blood cells. Normal white blood cells are potent infection fighters. Abnormal white blood cells tend to accumulate in people with leukemia, blocking production of normal white blood cells and impairing a person's ability to fight off infection

Although many people think of leukemia as a disease that only affects children, roughly 10 times as many adults are diagnosed with this cancer each year. In all, there are nearly 30,000 new cases of leukemia identified annually in the United States. Chronic lymphocytic leukemia and acute myelogenous leukemia and are the most common forms in adults. All types of leukemia are treatable, and most are potentially curable.

Leukemia Treatment at Moores UCSD Cancer Center