Leukemia

Leukemia is a cancer of the bone marrow and blood that affects both adults and children. Leukemia cells are abnormal blood cells that crowd out normal blood cells, making it hard for the normal blood cells to do their work.

Leukemia is either chronic (which mean it usually gets worse slowly) or acute (which means it usually gets worse quickly).

There are four main types of leukemia:

• Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL): usually grows slowly and is most often diagnosed in people older than age 55
• Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML): usually grows slowly and mainly affects adults
• Acute lymphocytic (lymphoblastic) leukemia (ALL): grows quickly and is the most common type of leukemia in young children
• Acute myeloid leukemia (AML): grows quickly and affects both adults and children

It is estimated that 48,610* people in the United States will be newly diagnosed with leukemia in 2013.

Treatment options for leukemia vary depending on the type of leukemia, stage of the disease, previous treatment, and other medical conditions. Talk with your doctor about what treatment options may be available for you.

*American Cancer Society. Cancer Facts and Figures 2013. Atlanta: American Cancer Society; 2013

Leukemia Clinical Trials

The NCI Center for Cancer Research (CCR) conducts clinical trials at the NIH Clinical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. CCR is currently conducting the following trials for patients with leukemia. Click on the trials below for additional details, including a summary of key eligibility criteria, study outline, and information on how to contact the principal investigators and their staff directly. For information on a particular trial or to discuss a screening visit, contact a member of the research team listed on the trial’s summary.

If you need further assistance, call our toll-free number at 1-888-NCI-1937 (1-888-624-1937) to be connected to a referral coordinator appropriate for your diagnosis.