Leukemia disease is a cancer of the blood-forming tissues. Most of the time, it is a cancer of the white blood cells, but some leukemia’s start in other kinds of blood vessels.

2. • Childhood leukemia, the
most common type of
cancer in children and
teens, is a cancer of the
white blood cells.
• Abnormal white blood cells
form in the bone marrow.
They quickly travel through
the bloodstream and crowd
out healthy cells. This
increases the body's
chances of infection and
other problems.

3. Different types of childhood leukemia are:
 Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL)
 Acute myelogenous leukemia (AML)
 Hybrid or mixed lineage leukemia
 Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML)
 Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)
 Juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia

4.  Bone or joint pain
 Swelling in the abdomen, face,
arms, underarms, sides of neck,
or groin
 Swelling above the collarbone
 Loss of appetite or weight loss
 Headaches, seizures, balance
problems, or abnormal vision

5. The risk for childhood leukemia increases if your child has:
 An inherited disorder such as Li-Fraumeni syndrome, Down
syndrome, or Klinefelter syndrome
 An inherited immune system problem such as ataxia
telangiectasia
 A brother or sister with leukemia, especially an identical twin
 A history of immune system suppression, such as for an organ
transplant

6. • Chemotherapy is the main
treatment for childhood
leukemia. Your child will
receive anticancer drugs by
mouth, or into a vein, a
muscle, or the spinal fluid.
• Radiation Therapy
• Surgery is rarely used to treat
childhood leukemia.