Types of Leukemia

There are five common forms of leukemia: Myelodyplastic, Acute, Chronic, Lymphyocytic and Hairy Cell Leukemia.

Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS) is when the bone marrow does not work properly. This causes the underproduction of white and red blood cells which causes easy bleeding or infection. Myelodysplastic syndrome may become Acute Leukemia. There are 10,000 to 30,000 new cases diagnosed each year. MDS-is common in people from their 60’s-70’s

Acute Leukemia progress rapidly if not treated. The consequences of acute leukemia are anemia. Anemia is a low count in red blood cells and hemoglobin, a protein that contains iron. This carries oxygen from the lungs to the other organs. Anemia causes easy bruising, bleeding, and an overall feeling of cold. The two major types off acute leukemia are acute lymphoblast leukemia (All), most common in children and young adults, and acute myelogenous leukemia (AML)

Chronic Leukemia like acute, is caused by the overgrowth of immature blood cells but people usually have enough blood cells to stop bleeding and prevent infections. There are two major types of chronic leukemia, Myelogenous Leukemia (CML) and Chronic

Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL).
CML hits about 4,500 people a year.
CLL is most common in adults with approximately 7,500 new cases a year.
Chronic Leukemia affects people from 40-70 years old.

Hairy cell Leukemia (HCL) is not curable. HCL occurs when B-lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell) appears in the bone marrow and spleen. The cells only look hairy under a microscope but are not actually hairy. HCL only represents two percent of leukemia.

References:

Anemia. 8 Feb. 2007. M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.
<http://www.mdanderson.org/departments/leukemia/

Definitions of Anemia on the Web. 22 Feb. 2007. About.
<http://ibdcrohns.about.com/library/glossary>

Acute Leukemia. 19 March 2007. Answers.com.
<http://www.answers.com/topic/leukemia>

Definition of Myelodysplastic Syndrome. March 22 2007. MedicineNet.
<http://www.medterms.com/script/main>