Leukaemia (blood cancer) in children

Leukaemia is a form of blood cancer that also occurs in children. It is a very rare disease, with about 100 children contracting it each year in Sweden. Leukaemia is a cancer that begins in the bone marrow. It is characterised by the uncontrolled growth of immature white blood cell precursors in the bone marrow.

The leukaemia cells crowd out the healthy blood cells and eventually penetrate the blood and other organs in the body. There are many different types of leukaemia, but the two main types are acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) and acute myeloid leukaemia (AML).

In children, the most common form is acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL). There are also different types of ALL.

The prognosis for leukaemia has improved significantly in recent years, thanks to research that has led to new treatments. The vast majority of patients survive after prolonged treatment. For ALL, treatment lasts for 2.5 years.

The Swedish Childhood Cancer Foundation’s website about leukaemia can be found under links.