Leukemia
Cancer of the blood where white blood cells are produced in excessive amounts and do not work properly. Leukemia is the most common childhood cancer, accounting for 25 per cent of new childhood cancer cases and close to 29 per cent of deaths. It is a cancer of the blood-forming organs, including the bone marrow, the spleen and the lymph nodes. When leukemia strikes, the body starts producing a vast number of immature cells that do not mature or perform their proper functions. These immature cells interfere with the production of the correct ratio of red cells, white cells and platelets.

The type of leukemia depends on the type of cell involved. There are two major types of leukemia: acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) and acute non-lymphocytic leukemia (ANLL), under which the other less common forms of acute leukemia fall. These less common forms include acute myelocytic leukemia (AML), acute monomyelocytic leukemia (AMML), acute monocytic leukemia (AMOL), and acute erythrocytic leukemia (AEL).