The Leukaemia Foundation
Organisation
Answers contributed by The Leukaemia Foundation
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What is leukaemia?
Leukaemias are cancers that affect the blood and bone marrow. All leukaemias start in the bone marrow where developing blood cells, usually developing white cells, undergo a malignant change. They multiply in an uncontrolled way ... read more -
What causes leukaemia?
In most cases, the cause of leukaemias remains unknown, but there are likely to be a number of factors involved. Like all cancers, leukaemias may result from damage to (or mutation of) special proteins called ... read more -
What are the symptoms of leukaemia?
The main symptoms of leukaemia are caused by a lack of normal blood cells. Without enough red cells, normal white cells and platelets people become fatigued, more susceptible to infections and to bleeding and bruising ... read more -
What are the treatment options for someone with leukaemia?
Treatment varies depending on the exact type of leukaemia a person has, their age, and their general health.The main treatments are chemotherapy and radiotherapy. This is given to destroy the leukaemic cells and allow the ... read more -
What are the different types of leukaemia?
Leukaemias are broadly classified by how quickly the disease develops, and by the type of blood cell involved. Acute leukaemias develop quickly and need to be treated urgently. Chronic leukaemias develop more slowly and may ... read more -
What is the incidence of leukaemia in Australia?
In 2007 in Australia, around 2936 people, including 250 children (0-14 years) are expected to be diagnosed with leukaemia*. The most common types of leukaemia in adults are CLL and AML. ALL is the most ... read more
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