How common is leukemia?
In the year 2006 in the United States, about 35,000 new cases of leukemia are expected. It is the most common cancer in children. Leukemia causes an estimated 22,000 deaths each year.1
The four main types of leukemia include:
- Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Most often, people diagnosed with the disease are older than 55. It almost never affects children.
- Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). It affects mainly adults.
- Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). It is the most common type of leukemia in young children. It also affects adults.
- Acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). It occurs in both adults and children. A subtype of AML is acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL).
| Author: | Bets Davis, MFA | Last Updated: November 26, 2008 |
| Medical Review: | Anne C. Poinier, MD - Internal Medicine Brian Leber, MDCM, FRCPC - Hematology | |
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