As a charity, we rely on voluntary contributions to provide this information. Each type has its own characteristics and treatment. Leukaemia is a disease of the white blood cells. All blood cells are produced in the bone marrow. They arise from stem cells which are blood cells at their very earliest stage of development.
Neutrophils develop from immature cells of the myeloid line.
If these myeloid cells become cancerous the type of leukaemia is known as myeloid leukaemia. As yet the cause is unknown. As the leukaemia cells multiply in the bone marrow, the production of normal blood cells slows. Children may therefore become tired and lethargic due to anaemia, which is caused by lack of red blood cells, bruises may develop and bleeding may occur due to low platelets, or sometimes children may suffer from infections because of low numbers of white blood cells. A child is likely to feel generally unwell and may complain of aches and pains in the limbs or have swollen glands.