Acute leukemia

Overview

Acute leukemia is a type of cancer of the blood and bone marrow — the spongy tissue inside your bones where blood cells form. Acute leukemia develops quickly and can lead to complications early in the disease.

In children and adults with acute leukemia, the bone marrow produces too many of a certain type of white blood cell. Acute leukemia is divided into two types based on the type of white blood cell that's affected. Acute lymphocytic leukemia affects the lymphocytes and acute myelogenous leukemia affects the myeloid cells.

Read more about acute lymphocytic leukemia and acute myelogenous leukemia.

Why choose Mayo Clinic for acute leukemia

• Teamwork. At Mayo Clinic, hematologists work with hematology nurses, pathologists, social workers and transplant specialists to create a team to bring you the best care. Other specialists can be called on as needed.
• Experience. Mayo Clinic doctors diagnose and treat many cases of acute leukemia each year, including the rarest subtypes of the disease.
• A full range of treatment options. Mayo Clinic doctors will work with you to review all of your treatment options and choose the treatment that best suits your needs and goals. The range of treatments offered includes chemotherapy, stem cell transplant, targeted drug therapy and radiation therapy.
• Comprehensive cancer center. Mayo Clinic Cancer Center meets strict standards for a National Cancer Institute Comprehensive Cancer Center, which recognizes scientific excellence and a multidisciplinary approach to cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment.

Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., is ranked among the Best Hospitals for cancer by U.S. News & World Report. Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Fla., and Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Ariz., are ranked high performing for cancer by U.S. News & World Report.

Mayo Clinic: Answers you can trust

At Mayo Clinic, we assemble a team of specialists who take the time to listen and thoroughly understand your health issues and concerns. We tailor the care you receive to your personal health care needs. You can trust our specialists to collaborate and offer you the best possible outcomes, safety and service.

Mayo Clinic is a not-for-profit medical institution that reinvests all earnings into improving medical practice, research and education. We're constantly involved in innovation and medical research, finding solutions to improve your care and quality of life. Your doctor or someone on your medical team is likely involved in research related to your condition.

Our patients tell us that the quality of their interactions, our attention to detail and the efficiency of their visits mean health care — and trusted answers — like they've never experienced.

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