What is Blood Cancer?

Blood Cancer is a cancer that originates in blood stem cells. Stem cells are basic cells that transform into different types of cells that have distinct functions.

Blood stem cells become lymphoid stem cells or myeloid stem cells.

Lymphoid stem cells turn into lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell. Lymphocytes help fight infections and destroy abnormal cells. The three types of lymphocytes are B lymphocytes, T lymphocytes and natural killer cells (NK).
Myeloid stem cells become red blood cells, granulocytes, monocytes or platelets. Red blood cells transport oxygen to all tissues in the body. Granulocytes and monocytes are types of white blood cells that destroy bacteria and help fight infections. Platelets form clots in damaged blood vessels to stop bleeding.

By developing, blood stem cells become blast cells (blasts), which are immature blood cells. In the case of leukemia, there is an overproduction of blast cells. These blast cells develop abnormally and do not become mature blood cells. Over time, blast cells take the place of normal blood cells, preventing them from performing their tasks. When leukemia is diagnosed, these blast cells can be called leukemic cells.

There are many different types of leukemias. They are first classified according to the type of blood stem cell from which they develop. The lymphocytic leukemia (also called lymphoblastic leukemia) originates in the abnormal lymphoid stem cells. Myeloid leukemia (also called myelogenous leukemia) comes abnormal myeloid stem cells.

The types of leukemias are then subdivided according to the speed at which the disease develops and evolves. Acute leukemia begins suddenly and develops in a few days or weeks. Chronic leukemia develops slowly over months or even years.

The four main types of leukemia are acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), acute myelogenous leukemia (AML), chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML).

In adults, the most common leukemias are CLL and AML. There are many different subtypes of leukemias.

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