Types of Leukemia

The major types of leukemia are:

• Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL). This is the most common type of leukemia in young children. ALL can also occur in adults.
• Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML). AML is a common type of leukemia. It occurs in children and adults. AML is the most common type of acute leukemia in adults.
• Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL). With CLL, the most common chronic adult leukemia, you may feel well for years without needing treatment.
• Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (CML). This type of leukemia mainly affects adults. A person with CML may have few or no symptoms for months or years before entering a phase in which the leukemia cells grow more quickly.

Other, rarer types of leukemia exist, including Hairy Cell Leukemia, Myelodysplastic Syndromesand Myeloproliferative Disorders.