Leukaemia

Leukaemia is a type of blood cancer. It’s the name given to a group of cancers that start in your bone marrow and affect your blood cells.

There are lots of different types of leukaemia. The most common ones in young people are acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) and acute myeloid leukaemia (AML).

These have similar symptoms and are treated in similar ways, but are caused by different types of abnormal white blood cells being made.

Blood cells are made in bone marrow – the soft, spongy stuff inside your bones.

If everything is working well, red blood cells (which carry oxygen), white blood cells (which fight infection) and platelets (which stop bleeding) are created when your body needs them.

If you have leukaemia, your white blood cells don’t work as they should. Too many abnormal white blood cells are made, and they stop the normal cells in your bone marrow from growing. As a result, the amount of normal red cells, white cells and platelets in your blood is reduced – and this causes a range of problems. 

Common symptoms of leukaemia are:

• Feeling really tired a lot of the time, breathlessness, dizziness, headaches and paleness. These things can be caused by not having enough red blood cells.
• Lots of infections that won’t go away. This can be caused by not having enough healthy white blood cells.
• Bruising easily or unusual bleeding – like nosebleeds, very heavy periods or bleeding gums when you brush your teeth. These are all caused by a lack of platelets.
• Swollen lymph nodes – lumps in your neck, armpit or groin
• Pain in your joints and bones

Other signs to look out for include:

• High temperature
• Sweating at night
• Losing weight
• Feeling full a lot of the time
• Stomach pain or discomfort

Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, also known as ALL, is a type of fast-growing blood cancer and is one of the most common cancers in young people.  

ALL affects a specific type of white blood cells called lymphoid blasts which start to multiply quickly. These can spread through your blood to other parts of your body.

You can find out more about acute lymphoblastic leukaemia on the Blood Cancer UK website. 

Acute myeloid leukaemia, also known as AML, is another type of fast-growing blood cancer that is one of the most common cancers in young people.  

AML affects the myeloid blasts, which are a type of blood cell. When you have AML your stem cells produce too many blood cells which don’t develop properly and can’t do what they should normally. These cells can spread through your blood to other body parts.

If you’re under 19 years old you can find out more about acute myeloid leukaemia on the Blood Cancer UK website here, if you’re over 19 years old you can find more information here. 

First, your doctor will check for physical signs of leukaemia – like swollen glands – and take a blood test.

If the test shows abnormal levels of white blood cells or low numbers of normal blood cells, you’ll be referred to a specialist.

They will usually then take a small amount of bone marrow from the back of your pelvis (the bone below your stomach and above your legs). This is called a ‘bone marrow biopsy’. This will then be looked at carefully under a microscope to confirm if you have leukaemia and, if you do, which type of leukaemia. If you’re feeling nervous about having your bone marrow biopsy that’s totally understandable. You can find out more about the different types of tests you might have, including biopsies, on the Blood Cancer UK website.  

You might also need to have some scans. This might include a CT scan, MRI, PET scan, X-ray or ultrasound. You might be admitted to hospital to have some of these tests. If you have any questions about any of the tests and scans planned for you, you should speak to the doctors and nurses who are supporting you.  

You can find out more in our diagnosis section. 

Treatment for acute leukaemia happens in stages, and the type of treatment you have might depend on the type of leukaemia you have.

The first stage is designed to kill leukaemia cells in your bone marrow and get your blood back to normal. The second stage aims to stop the leukaemia coming back.

The exact treatment depends on which type of leukaemia you have, but treatment for acute leukaemia can include steroids, chemotherapy, targeted drugs and immunotherapy. You might also need to have a stem cell transplant, you can find out more about this here.

And it does take time – treatment usually lasts around four months for acute myeloid leukaemia and up to three years for acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.

You might also be able to be part of a clinical trial – find out more here.  

Find out more about cancer treatments. 

Fertility means your ability to have children.

Different types of cancer treatment, such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy, can affect your ability to have children.  

Before starting treatment you should be told about any potential impact on your fertility and offered fertility preservation like egg freezing or sperm banking, if appropriate. You can always ask your care team if you have any questions about your fertility, or any other parts of your treatment.  

Find out more about how cancer treatment can affect fertility here.  

You can find out more about leukaemia on the Blood Cancer UK website. 

This page was reviewed in August 2026. It will reviewed again in August 2029.