Leukemia & Blood Cancers

Leukemia is cancer of the body's blood-forming tissues, including bone marrow and the lymphatic system. At AtlantiCare, patients of all ages benefit from advanced diagnostics, leading-edge treatments, experienced hematologist-oncologists and a team committed to providing high-quality care to fight this complex disease.

For more information and to make your appointment, call 1-888-569-1000.

About Leukemia

Leukemia is a type of blood cancer that begins in the bone marrow, the soft tissue inside bones that helps form blood cells, and is the most common cancer among children and teens, accounting for over 30% of cancers diagnosed in young people under 18.

Leukemia is divided into two major types, acute and chronic, and within those types are subtypes:

Acute: progresses quickly and includes:

• Acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) occurs when the body produces a large number of immature lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell). The cancer cells grow quickly and replace normal cells in the bone marrow. ALL prevents healthy blood cells from being made. Life-threatening symptoms can occur.
• Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is cancer that starts inside bone marrow, the soft tissue inside bones that helps form blood cells.  The cancer grows from cells that would normally turn into white blood cells.

Chronic: progresses more slowly and includes:

• Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is  cancer of a type of white blood cells called lymphocytes. These cells are found in the bone marrow and other parts of the body. CLL causes a slow increase in a certain type of white blood cells called B lymphocytes, or B cells. Cancer cells spread through the blood and bone marrow. CLL can also affect the lymph nodes or other organs such as the liver and spleen; it eventually can cause the bone marrow to lose its function.
• Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) is cancer that starts inside bone marrow. CML causes uncontrolled growth of immature cells that make a certain type of white blood cell called myeloid cells. The diseased cells build up in the bone marrow and blood.
• Hairy cell leukemia (HCL) is caused by the abnormal growth of B cells. The cells look "hairy" under the microscope because they have fine projections coming from their surface. HCL usually leads to low numbers of normal blood cells.

Detection & Diagnosis

Each type of leukemia has specific symptoms that are unique, but there are patterns that appear in nearly all types that include:

• Easy bruising or bleeding
• Excessive sweating (especially at night)
• Fatigue
• Feeling full after eating only a small amount
• Recurring infections and fevers
• Pain or fullness in the upper left belly
• Swollen lymph glands
• Weakness
• Uncontrolled weight loss

There are currently no routine tests for leukemia, so if you find that you are showing one of the multiple symptoms, it is important to seek help from a medical professional. To help determine a leukemia diagnosis, our physicians may recommend a blood or bone marrow test to check your white blood cell counts and see if there are detectable cancer cells.

Personalized Treatment Plans

If you find that you have leukemia, rest assured you have some of New Jersey’s best experts by your side. Our dedicated team — including hematologists, pathologists, medical and radiation oncologists, surgeons, specialty-trained nurses and more — work closely together and with you to create a custom treatment plan, which may include taking part in a clinical trial right here in South Jersey.