Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia

Introduction Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia is the most common malignancy of childhood. Leukaemia Leukaemia refers to a group of malignancies that arise in the bone marrow. They are relatively rare but together are the 12th most common cancer in the UK, responsible for around 9,900 cases and 4,700 deaths a year. There are four main types: Acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) Chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) Presentation, prognosis and management all depend on the type and subtype of leukaemia. Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia ALL arises from a clone of lymphoid progenitor cells that undergo malignant transformation.