This system usually functions beautifully, and it's proper workings are crucial to human life.
Chronic leukemias are cancers of blood cells, and are one of two basic types.
Chronic leukemia was first recognized in 1845 as a massive accumulation of white blood cells. There are normally 3,000 to 10,000 white blood cells per milliliter of whole blood, but with chronic leukemia that number may skyrocket to above 100,000. Ironically, this increased number of white blood cells will actually lead to more infections, since these abnormal cells are not effective against fighting germs, and stymie production of normal cells. Thus, chronic leukemia is also usually accompanied by a decrease in red blood cells and platelets, leading to anemia and bruising. By contrast, the acute leukemias often have normal or reduced white blood cells.