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Definition: leukaemia from The Penguin Dictionary of Science

➤Cancer of the white blood cell precursors in the bone marrow. There are different types depending on the specific lineage of cells affected and the ability of the leukaemic cells to differentiate, affecting the rate of disease progression.


leukemia

From The Columbia Encyclopedia
(lōkē'mēӘ), cancerous disorder of the blood-forming tissues (bone marrow, lymphatics, liver, spleen) characterized by excessive production of immature or mature leukocytes (white blood cells; see blood ) and consequently a crowding-out of red blood cells and platelets. It was first named by Rudolf Virchow in 1887. See also cancer . Leukemia is seen in animals, such as cats, guinea pigs, and cattle, as well as in humans. In humans it can occur at any age, but most types are more prevalent in older people. Possible causes include exposure to certain chemicals (e.g., benzene), chromosomal abnormalities such as Down syndrome , exposure to ionizing radiation, certain drugs (e.g., alkylating agents used in cancer treatment), and infection with retroviruses such as HTLV-I, a relative of the AIDS virus. All of these agents are suspected of causing mutations or other disruptions that interfere with the normal regulation of cell growth and division in leukocytes. Leukemias are classified as…
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Full text Article Leukemia

From Human Diseases and Conditions
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Leukemia (loo-KEY-me-ah) is a type of cancer in which the body produces a large number of immature, abnormally shaped blood cells. It usually affects the white blood cells, or leukocytes (LOO-ko-sites), which help the body fight infections and other diseases . Sam had been looking forward to the…
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Full text Article Leukemia

From Brenner's Encyclopedia of Genetics
Leukemia
Abstract Leukemia is a cancer of blood cells that is due to the uncontrolled proliferation of a white blood cell. Leukemias can be rapidly progressive (acute) or indolent (chronic). Therapy of leukemia depends on the lineage of the leukemic cells, that is, myeloid or lymphoid, so lineage…
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Full text Article leukemia

From The Columbia Encyclopedia
(lōkē'mēӘ), cancerous disorder of the blood-forming tissues (bone marrow, lymphatics, liver, spleen) characterized by excessive production of immature or mature leukocytes (white blood cells; see blood ) and consequently a crowding-out of red blood cells and platelets. It was first named by Rudolf…
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Full text Article leukemia

From Library of Health and Living: The Encyclopedia of Men's Health
Cancers involving bone marrow and white blood cells that arise when stem cell maturation goes awry. Leukemias fall into two broad classifications according to the kinds of stem cells affected. Lymphocytic leukemia affects the stem cells that develop into lymphocytes, the white blood cells…
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Full text Article Pediatric Leukemia

From Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
Pediatric leukemia is a cancer of the blood and bone marrow that occurs in children. There are several types of leukemia that can occur in children. The bone marrow is the soft, spongy center part of bone that makes blood cells. When working normally, the marrow makes stem cells, or immature cells. …
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Full text Article Leukemias, Chronic

From Gale Encyclopedia of Children's Health: Infancy Through Adolescence
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Chronic leukemia is a disease in which too many white blood cells are made in the bone marrow. Depending on the type of white blood cell that is involved, chronic leukemia can be classified as chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) or chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). Children are not typically affected…
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Full text Article Leukemias, Acute

From Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
Sores on a patient's arm caused by acute...
Acute leukemia is a type of cancer in which excessive numbers of abnormal white blood cells are produced in blood-forming tissue such as the bone marrow and released into the bloodstream. It arises from malignant transformation of white cells known as B-lymphocytes or T-lymphocytes, occurring at the…
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Full text Article Leukemias, Acute

From The Gale Encyclopedia of Senior Health
Normal blood cells compared to abnormal blood...
Acute leukemias are life-threatening cancers in which blood-forming cells in the bone marrow fail to properly mature, and immature white blood cells rapidly accumulate in the bone marrow and bloodstream. Acute leukemias are classified by the type of white blood cell (WBC) that undergoes malignant…
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Full text Article Leukemias, Acute

From Gale Encyclopedia of Nursing and Allied Health
Acute leukemia is a type of cancer in which excessive quantities of abnormal white blood cells are produced. Medical science classifies acute leukemia by the type of white blood cell that undergoes mutation. The most common of these are: Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), in which excessive…
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Full text Article Leukemias, Chronic

From Gale Encyclopedia of Nursing and Allied Health
Chronic leukemia is a type of cancer in which excessive quantities of abnormal white blood cells are produced, usually slowly, often over a period of years. Medical science classifies chronic leukemia by the type of white blood cell that undergoes mutation. The most common of these are: Chronic…
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