# Leukaemia: symptoms, treatment and survival > Source: World Aid Network — https://worldaidnetwork.org/cancer/leukaemia > Last reviewed: 2026-06-19 ## In short Leukaemia is a cancer of the blood and the bone marrow, where blood cells are made. Instead of making healthy cells, the body makes too many abnormal white blood cells. There are four main types — AML, ALL, CML and CLL — and they behave very differently, from slow-growing forms that may need watching rather than urgent treatment, to fast-growing. Cancer of the blood and bone marrow — with four main types and very different outlooks. World Aid Network funds treatment for patients who cannot pay. ## At a glance - ~10,000: UK cases each year - AML, ALL, CML, CLL: Main types - ~87%: Survival (CLL) - Blood test: First test ## What is leukaemia (blood cancer)? Leukaemia is a cancer of the blood and the bone marrow, where blood cells are made. Instead of making healthy cells, the body makes too many abnormal white blood cells. There are four main types — AML, ALL, CML and CLL — and they behave very differently, from slow-growing forms that may need watching rather than urgent treatment, to fast-growing. Leukaemia is a cancer of the blood and bone marrow in which the body produces large numbers of abnormal white blood cells that do not function properly and crowd out normal blood cells. Around 10,000 people are diagnosed with leukaemia in the UK every year. Leukaemia is not one single disease. The four main types — acute myeloid leukaemia (AML), acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL), chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) and chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) — behave very differently, affect different age groups and require very different treatments. Survival ranges from over 98% cure rates in children with ALL to approximately 25% five-year survival in adults with AML. This guide answers the twenty most commonly searched questions about leukaemia in the UK, drawing on NHS and WHO sources, and examines the enormous inequality in leukaemia treatment between the UK and low-income countries where curative therapy is largely inaccessible. Leukaemia is a malignant disease of the blood-forming cells in the bone marrow. In healthy individuals, the bone marrow produces red blood cells (to carry oxygen), white blood cells (to fight infection) and platelets (to clot blood) in a carefully regulated balance. In leukaemia, abnormal white blood cells multiply uncontrollably, accumulate in the bone marrow and blood, and crowd out normal blood cell production. The four main types are classified by: the cell line affected (myeloid or lymphoid) and the speed of progression (acute — fast-growing and requiring urgent treatment — or chronic — slow-growing, often manageable over years). AML and ALL are acute; CML and CLL are chronic. In the UK, children with ALL achieve cure rates of approximately 90% — one of the most successful outcomes in all of oncology. In many low-income countries, cure rates for childhood ALL are below 50%, primarily because combination chemotherapy requires inpatient facilities, blood transfusion support, infection management and sustained access to multiple drugs over 2–3 years — infrastructure that most poor-country healthcare systems cannot consistently provide. For adult leukaemias, the treatment gap is even wider. Allogeneic stem cell transplantation — a potentially curative treatment for high-risk AML and ALL — requires specialist transplant units, HLA typing, donor registries and intensive post-transplant care that do not exist in most low-income settings. Imatinib for CML, once donated through a patient assistance programme, is no longer reliably available in many countries. World Aid Network funds cancer treatment — including leukaemia — for poor patients through locally-licensed oncologists and registered hospitals. A donation helps fund the treatment that would otherwise be unreachable. ## When should you see a doctor about leukaemia (blood cancer)? Most of these symptoms have a less serious cause — but it is always worth getting them checked. See a GP if you notice a new or persistent change. If you feel very unwell, contact NHS 111 or seek urgent help. Take a note of how long the symptom has lasted and whether it is getting worse. You do not need every sign on a list to book an appointment. This guide is general information from World Aid Network, not a diagnosis and not UK NHS care. Only a clinician can assess you. - Feeling very tired or weak much of the time - Catching infections more often than usual - Bruising or bleeding more easily than normal (including nosebleeds or bleeding gums) - Pale skin, breathlessness or a fast heartbeat - Fevers, night sweats or unexplained weight loss ## What are the symptoms of leukaemia? Because leukaemia disrupts normal blood cell production, symptoms reflect the consequences of too few red cells, functioning white cells or platelets. The NHS advises seeing your GP if you notice: fatigue and breathlessness (from anaemia due to low red cell count); frequent or severe infections (from failure of normal immune function); unusual bruising or bleeding (from low platelet count); unexplained weight loss; swollen lymph nodes in the neck, armpits or groin; night sweats; bone or joint pain; or an enlarged spleen (discomfort in the upper left abdomen). In acute leukaemia, these symptoms can develop rapidly — sometimes over days to weeks. In chronic leukaemia, symptoms may be absent for years or develop very gradually. CLL is frequently diagnosed incidentally on a routine blood test in an older adult with no symptoms. ## What are diagnosis and staging? Leukaemia is diagnosed through a full blood count (FBC), which typically shows abnormal numbers of white cells, and a blood film examination showing abnormal cell morphology. A bone marrow biopsy — in which a small sample of bone marrow is taken from the hip bone under local anaesthetic — is essential for confirming diagnosis, identifying the specific leukaemia type, and performing molecular and cytogenetic tests that guide treatment decisions. For CML, the hallmark diagnostic finding is the Philadelphia chromosome — a translocation between chromosomes 9 and 22 producing the BCR-ABL fusion gene. For AML and ALL, cytogenetic and molecular testing identifies mutations (such as FLT3, NPM1, IDH1/2 in AML) that determine prognosis and guide treatment choice. ## What treatment options are available? Treatment depends entirely on the type of leukaemia. AML requires intensive induction chemotherapy (daunorubicin plus cytarabine) to achieve remission, followed by consolidation chemotherapy or an allogeneic stem cell transplant for high-risk patients. ALL in adults uses prolonged combination chemotherapy protocols over 2–3 years; blinatumomab and inotuzumab are newer immunotherapies for relapsed/refractory disease. CML has been transformed by tyrosine kinase inhibitors (imatinib, dasatinib, nilotinib) — oral daily tablets that achieve molecular remission in most patients and are taken indefinitely. CLL is often monitored without treatment (watch and wait) for years; when treatment is needed, ibrutinib (BTK inhibitor), venetoclax (BCL-2 inhibitor) and obinutuzumab are the modern standard. ## What are the key takeaways? The most important points on leukaemia (blood cancer) for patients, families and donors. - Leukaemia is a cancer of the blood and bone marrow affecting around 10,000 people in the UK each year. There are four main types: AML, ALL, CML and CLL. - Acute leukaemias (AML and ALL) require urgent treatment. Chronic leukaemias (CML and CLL) are slower-growing and may be monitored without treatment for years. - CML has been transformed by targeted oral therapy (imatinib and its successors), achieving molecular remission in most patients. Childhood ALL has a cure rate of approximately 90%. - AML in adults has a five-year survival rate of approximately 25% overall, reflecting its aggressiveness and the challenges of intensive treatment in older patients. - In low-income countries, leukaemia treatment — particularly stem cell transplantation and sustained multi-drug chemotherapy — is largely inaccessible to poor patients, resulting in far lower survival rates. ## What will a donation for leukaemia (blood cancer) treatment provide? A gift to World Aid Network's Cancer Emergency Appeal helps pay for diagnosis and treatment that a poor patient has been recommended but cannot afford. Typical partner costs start at £10 for tests and £50 for a chemotherapy session. Trustees direct gifts to the most urgent cases. This is treatment access, not laboratory research and not UK NHS care. Clinicians in partner hospitals decide the medical plan. We fund the bill in Pakistan, Indonesia and Malaysia. The Cancer Emergency Appeal funds all types of cancer. Trustees direct gifts to the most urgent hospital bills in Pakistan, Indonesia and Malaysia. - £10 — Diagnostic tests that help a partner oncologist confirm the next step - £25 — Cancer medication towards a treatment cycle a family cannot afford - £50 — One chemotherapy session for a patient who would otherwise be turned away - £100 — Surgical support or a fuller block of treatment costs ## How can I donate to help people with leukaemia (blood cancer)? Donate by card on this page or at worldaidnetwork.org/donate and choose the Cancer Emergency Appeal. World Aid Network is a UK CIO with Charity Commission registration in progress; Gift Aid applies once registration is granted. If you need UK support as a patient or relative, see a GP, NHS 111, Macmillan or the specialist UK charity for this cancer. We fund treatment overseas; we are not a UK helpline. ## Frequently asked questions ### What is leukaemia? Leukaemia is a cancer of the blood-forming cells in the bone marrow, causing the production of abnormal white blood cells that crowd out normal blood cell production. Around 10,000 people are diagnosed with leukaemia in the UK each year. There are four main types: acute myeloid (AML), acute lymphoblastic (ALL), chronic myeloid (CML) and chronic lymphocytic (CLL), each with very different characteristics, prognosis and treatment. ### What are the symptoms of leukaemia? According to the NHS, symptoms include: persistent fatigue and breathlessness (anaemia); frequent or severe infections; unusual bruising or bleeding; unexplained weight loss; swollen lymph nodes; night sweats; bone or joint pain; and a feeling of fullness in the upper left abdomen (enlarged spleen). Acute leukaemia symptoms develop rapidly; chronic leukaemia is often asymptomatic for years. ### How common is leukaemia in the UK? Around 10,000 people are diagnosed with leukaemia in the UK each year. CLL is the most common type in adults (approximately 3,200 cases per year), followed by AML (approximately 3,000). ALL accounts for approximately 800 cases per year across all ages and is the most common childhood cancer. CML accounts for approximately 700 cases per year. ### What causes leukaemia? The exact cause of most leukaemias is unknown. DNA mutations in blood-forming stem cells in the bone marrow cause cells to grow uncontrollably. Risk factors vary by type but include: age; previous chemotherapy or radiotherapy; exposure to high-dose ionising radiation; benzene exposure; certain genetic syndromes (Down syndrome increases ALL and AML risk); smoking (AML); and viral infections (HTLV-1 for certain rare T-cell leukaemias). Most leukaemias are not hereditary. ### What are the different types of leukaemia? The four main types are: AML (acute myeloid leukaemia) — aggressive, requires urgent treatment, affects adults mainly; ALL (acute lymphoblastic leukaemia) — the most common childhood cancer, also occurs in adults; CML (chronic myeloid leukaemia) — driven by the BCR-ABL Philadelphia chromosome, effectively managed with oral targeted therapy; CLL (chronic lymphocytic leukaemia) — the most common adult leukaemia, often slow-growing and monitored without treatment for years. Each behaves very differently. ### What is the difference between acute and chronic leukaemia? Acute leukaemia (AML and ALL) develops rapidly — cells multiply quickly and are very immature (blasts) that cannot function. It requires immediate treatment and is life-threatening within weeks to months if untreated. Chronic leukaemia (CML and CLL) develops more slowly — cells are more mature and may partially function. CLL in particular can remain stable for years without requiring treatment. However, chronic leukaemias can transform into acute leukaemia if untreated or in later stages. ### How is leukaemia diagnosed? Diagnosis begins with a full blood count (FBC) showing abnormal white cell numbers, followed by examination of a blood film. A bone marrow biopsy — taking a small sample from the hip bone — confirms diagnosis and provides material for cytogenetic and molecular testing to identify the specific leukaemia subtype and mutations. Lumbar puncture may be performed for ALL to check for central nervous system involvement. Imaging (CT scan) assesses lymph node and organ enlargement. ### What is a bone marrow biopsy? A bone marrow biopsy (or trephine biopsy) is a procedure in which a small sample of bone marrow is removed from the back of the hip bone (posterior iliac crest) using a needle, under local anaesthetic. The sample is examined under a microscope to assess cell morphology, count blast cells and perform cytogenetic and molecular analysis. It is a standard diagnostic procedure for leukaemia, lymphoma and other blood cancers, typically taking 15–30 minutes and causing temporary discomfort. ### Are there stages of leukaemia? Staging in leukaemia differs from solid tumours. AML and ALL use blast percentage and cytogenetic/molecular risk classification (favourable, intermediate, adverse risk) to guide treatment intensity. CLL uses the Binet staging system (A, B, C) based on the number of enlarged lymph node groups and the presence of anaemia or low platelets. CML is classified by phase: chronic phase (most patients at diagnosis), accelerated phase, or blast crisis. Risk classification guides treatment decisions and stem cell transplant eligibility. ### What is the treatment for leukaemia? Treatment varies by type. AML: intensive induction chemotherapy (daunorubicin plus cytarabine), followed by consolidation chemotherapy or allogeneic stem cell transplant for high-risk disease. ALL: prolonged combination chemotherapy over 2–3 years, CNS prophylaxis, immunotherapy for relapsed/refractory disease. CML: oral tyrosine kinase inhibitors (imatinib, dasatinib, nilotinib) taken daily, achieving molecular remission in most patients. CLL: watch and wait for early/asymptomatic disease; ibrutinib, venetoclax or chemoimmunotherapy when treatment is needed. ### What is chemotherapy for leukaemia? Chemotherapy for leukaemia uses drugs to kill or suppress rapidly dividing cancer cells in the blood and bone marrow. For acute leukaemias, intensive induction chemotherapy is given in hospital over several weeks to achieve remission (the disappearance of detectable leukaemia). Consolidation chemotherapy or a stem cell transplant follows to prevent relapse. Chemotherapy suppresses the immune system and requires close monitoring for infection. Side effects include nausea, hair loss, mouth sores and increased infection risk. ### What is a stem cell transplant and when is it needed for leukaemia? An allogeneic stem cell transplant (SCT) replaces a patient's diseased bone marrow with healthy stem cells from a matched donor (sibling or unrelated). It is potentially curative for high-risk AML and ALL by eliminating residual leukaemia through the donor immune cells (graft-versus-leukaemia effect). SCT carries significant risks including graft-versus-host disease (GvHD), infection and organ toxicity. It is offered to patients under approximately 70 with high-risk disease and adequate organ function who have an available donor. ### What is the survival rate for leukaemia? Survival varies significantly by type. CLL: approximately 80% five-year survival for all stages. CML on tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy: approximately 80–85% five-year survival. Childhood ALL: approximately 90% cure rate. Adult ALL: approximately 40% five-year survival. AML: approximately 25% five-year survival overall, rising to 40–50% in younger patients with favourable cytogenetics treated with intensive chemotherapy and stem cell transplant. ### Is leukaemia curable? Some leukaemias are curable; others are manageable but not curable. Childhood ALL is cured in approximately 90% of cases. CML is effectively controlled with lifelong oral targeted therapy and some patients achieve treatment-free remission. AML can be cured in a minority of patients — those who achieve complete remission after intensive chemotherapy and remain in remission after consolidation or transplant. CLL is generally not curable with standard therapy, but many patients live for decades and some achieve very long-lasting responses with targeted agents. ### Is leukaemia hereditary? Most leukaemias are not hereditary — they arise from acquired DNA mutations rather than inherited gene faults. However, some genetic conditions significantly increase risk: Down syndrome (trisomy 21) increases ALL and AML risk; Li-Fraumeni syndrome (TP53 mutation) raises the risk of multiple cancers including AML. CLL has a stronger familial component than other leukaemias, with first-degree relatives of CLL patients at approximately two to three times the general risk. Genetic counselling may be appropriate for families with multiple affected members. ### What is CLL (chronic lymphocytic leukaemia)? CLL is the most common adult leukaemia in Western countries, with approximately 3,200 diagnoses per year in the UK. It is a slow-growing cancer of B-lymphocytes. Many patients are diagnosed incidentally on a routine blood test with no symptoms, and early-stage CLL is typically managed with watch and wait rather than immediate treatment. When treatment becomes necessary — due to progressive disease, symptoms or complications — modern targeted therapies including ibrutinib and venetoclax have transformed outcomes significantly. ### What is ALL (acute lymphoblastic leukaemia)? ALL is a rapid-onset cancer of immature lymphoid precursor cells (lymphoblasts) in the bone marrow. It is the most common cancer in children, with peak incidence between ages 2 and 5. In children, ALL has a cure rate of approximately 90% with intensive combination chemotherapy. In adults, ALL is less common and harder to treat: five-year survival is approximately 40%. ALL can spread to the brain, requiring intrathecal chemotherapy as prophylaxis or treatment. ### Can children get leukaemia? Yes. Leukaemia is the most common childhood cancer in the UK. ALL (acute lymphoblastic leukaemia) accounts for approximately 80% of childhood leukaemia cases and has a cure rate of approximately 90% with modern chemotherapy. AML accounts for most of the remainder. Childhood leukaemia is treated at specialist paediatric oncology centres and, despite its seriousness, outcomes in the UK are among the best in the world. ### What does remission mean in leukaemia? In leukaemia, remission means that leukaemia cells are no longer detectable in the blood and bone marrow by standard tests, and normal blood cell production has recovered. Complete remission (CR) is the goal of induction chemotherapy. Molecular remission — the more stringent goal of modern leukaemia treatment, particularly for CML and ALL — means that no leukaemia is detectable even by highly sensitive molecular tests (PCR). Remission is not the same as cure: relapse can occur months or years later. ### How does leukaemia affect people in developing countries? In low- and middle-income countries, leukaemia outcomes are significantly worse than in the UK. Intensive multi-drug chemotherapy requires hospitalisation, blood transfusion support, infection management and sustained drug supply — infrastructure that is frequently unavailable in poor-country settings. Allogeneic stem cell transplantation is unavailable in most low-income countries. Childhood ALL cure rates in low-income settings are often below 50%, compared with 90% in the UK. World Aid Network funds cancer treatment for poor patients through locally-licensed oncologists. ## How you can help World Aid Network funds cancer treatment for poor patients in Pakistan, Indonesia and Malaysia through locally licensed oncologists. Donate at https://worldaidnetwork.org/cancer/leukaemia or https://worldaidnetwork.org/donate?cause=cancer-treatment&appeal=cancer-emergency ## Sources - NHS — Cancer: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/cancer/ - Cancer Research UK --- This is general information, not medical advice, published by World Aid Network. Always consult a qualified clinician about your own health.