Leukemia

We offer the most advanced, personalized treatment available for leukemia.

Leukemia is a category of cancers that affect the blood and bone marrow. We treat it with an integrated team of hematologists (specialists who focus on disorders that affect the blood and related structures) and oncologists, who treat cancer.

After our hematology-oncology team has diagnosed your specific type of leukemia, they will walk you through your personalized leukemia treatment options. This includes extensive support and education resources from diagnosis through survivorship.

Leukemia symptoms

Different types of leukemia can have different symptoms, and they often resemble signs of other less-serious illnesses. Talk to your doctor if you experience any of these symptoms for a prolonged period:

• Fatigue
• Fever
• Joint pain
• Night sweats
• Pale skin
• Shortness of breath
• Unexplained bruising
• Unexplained weight loss

Types of leukemia

Leukemia usually affects the white blood cells, but it can start in other types of blood cells. The disease can be acute (fast-growing) or chronic (slow-growing). There are many types and subtypes of leukemia, each classified by its growth rate and origin. The main types of leukemia are:

• Acute lymphocytic in adults (ALL): Also called acute lymphoblastic leukemia, in this type the bone marrow makes too many lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell), crowding out healthy blood cells that fight infection.
• Acute myeloid leukemia (AML): One of the more common forms of leukemia affecting adults, this disease causes a surge of abnormal white blood cells. These abnormal cells interfere with production of normal, healthy blood cells.
• Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL): In this disease, the body slowly begins producing a type of white blood cell called B lymphocytes (B cells) that eventually destroy bone marrow.
• Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML): This type of leukemia also is known as chronic myelogenous leukemia and chronic granulocytic leukemia (CGL). It causes rapid growth of cancerous white blood cells.
• Chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML): This type of cancer develops in the blood-forming cells of the bone marrow.

Personalized leukemia treatment plan

After diagnosis, your cancer care team will discuss your options, including the benefits and side effects of each. Treatment will depend on the type of leukemia, its stage, and your medical history and priorities. Your leukemia treatment may include one or more of the following:

• Bone marrow transplant
• Chemotherapy
• Immunotherapy, including CAR T-cell therapy for B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia
• Radiation therapy

We also participate in several clinical trials to test new leukemia treatments. Talk with your doctor about whether you may qualify for a clinical trial.