Knowing the specific type of leukemia helps doctors better predict each person’s prognosis (outlook) and select the best treatment.Īcute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) is also called acute lymphoblastic leukemia. There are several types of leukemia, which are divided based mainly on whether the leukemia is acute (fast growing) or chronic (slower growing), and whether it starts in myeloid cells or lymphoid cells. Most often, leukemia starts in early forms of white blood cells, but some leukemias start in other blood cell types. Leukemias are cancers that start in cells that would normally develop into different types of blood cells.
To learn more about cancer and how it starts and spreads, see What Is Cancer?
Cells in nearly any part of the body can become cancer. Cancer starts when cells in the body begin to grow out of control.
