What is leukaemia? Classify leukaemias.
It is a progressive malignant disease of the haematopoietic stem cells where there is
rapid overproduction of abnormal or immature WBCs or leucocytes in the bone marrow
or peripheral blood.
Traditionally, leukaemias are classified into four main subsets:
Acute:
– Acute myeloid leukaemia (AML)
– Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL)
Chronic
– Chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML)
– Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL).
Most common variety of leukaemia is CLL. Loosely, leukaemias are called ‘blood
cancer’ but common examples of haematological malignancies in a true sense are
leukaemias, lymphoma and multiple myeloma.
It is a progressive malignant disease of the haematopoietic stem cells where there is
rapid overproduction of abnormal or immature WBCs or leucocytes in the bone marrow
or peripheral blood.
Traditionally, leukaemias are classified into four main subsets:
Acute:
– Acute myeloid leukaemia (AML)
– Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL)
Chronic
– Chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML)
– Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL).
Most common variety of leukaemia is CLL. Loosely, leukaemias are called ‘blood
cancer’ but common examples of haematological malignancies in a true sense are
leukaemias, lymphoma and multiple myeloma.