Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia
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This booklet provides information about acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) for patients and their families. Brief descriptions of normal blood and marrow, the lymphatic system and definitions of medical terms are included.
Excerpt
ALL results from an acquired genetic injury to the DNA of a single cell in the marrow. The disease is often referred to as "acute lymphoblastic leukemia" because the leukemic cell that replaces the normal marrow cell is the (leukemic) lymphoblast. The effects of ALL are
- Uncontrolled and exaggerated growth and accumulation of cells called "lymphoblasts" or "leukemic blasts," which fail to function as normal blood cells.
- Blockage of the production of normal marrow cells, leading to a deficiency of red cells (anemia), platelets (thrombocytopenia) and normal white cells, especially neutrophils (neutropenia), in the blood.
