Leukemia: Introduction

Blood consists of three types of cells and cell fragments floating in a liquid called plasma. These cellular components are:

• Red Blood Cells ("erythrocytes," "RBCs") - oxygen-carrying cells
• White Blood Cells ("leukocytes," "WBCs") - cells that help make up the body's immune system
• Platelets ("thrombocytes") - fragments of cells that play an important role in formation of blood clots

The total number of white blood cells normally ranges from 4 million to 11 million cells per milliliter of blood.⁽¹⁾Leukemias are a group of diseases characterized by increased numbers of white cells in the blood and bone marrow.⁽²⁾
In 2010, the American Cancer Society estimates that 43,050 new leukemia cases will be diagnosed and 21,840 people will die from the disease in the United States.⁽³⁾
View a leukemia survivor's perspective: Interview with Tony LaRocco
Please visit the following sections to learn more about leukemia:

• White Blood Cells
• Types of Leukemia
• Risk Factors
• Symptoms
  
• Detection and Diagnosis
  
• Leukemia Tumor Biology
• Treatment
• Leukemia Resources
• Section Summary
  

Learn more about leukemia or make an appointment at the Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University.