what does leukemia affect
Leukemia is a type of cancer that affects the blood and bone marrow. Leukemia begins in a cell in the bone marrow. The cell undergoes a change and becomes a type of leukemia cell. Once the marrow cell undergoes a leukemic change, the leukemia cells may grow and survive better than normal cells.
ALL affects the lymphocytic type of white blood cells. acute myeloid leukemia (AML). AML occurs in both adults and children and is sometimes called acute non-lymphocytic leukemia. AML affects the myeloid (also known as nonlymphocytic) type of white blood cells, the red blood cells and the cells that make platelets. chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). CLL most commonly affects adults over age 55 and rarely occurs in children. CLL affects the lymphocytic type of white blood cells. chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). CML occurs mainly in adults, but a small number of children also get this form of leukemia. CML affects the myeloid (also known as nonlymphocytic) type of white blood cells, the red blood cells and the cells that make platelets.
The second type of classification is by type of white blood cell affected: 1  Lymphocytic leukemia. This type of leukemia affects the lymphoid cells (lymphocytes), which form lymphoid or lymphatic tissue. 2  Myelogenous (my-uh-LOHJ-uh-nus) leukemia. This type of leukemia affects the myeloid cells.