Track 8: Leukemia

Leukemia is a type of cancer that affects the blood and bone marrow, which is the soft, spongy tissue inside bones where blood cells are produced. It involves the abnormal production and accumulation of white blood cells, which crowd out normal blood cells and interfere with the body's ability to fight infection, transport oxygen, and control bleeding.

Leukemia is categorized into several types based on how quickly it progresses (acute or chronic) and the type of white blood cell affected (lymphoid or myeloid). The main types are:

1. Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL): Rapidly progressing; affects immature lymphocytes.
2. Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML): Rapidly progressing; affects myeloid cells.
3. Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL): Slowly progressing; affects mature lymphocytes.
4. Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML): Slowly progressing; affects myeloid cells and often involves a specific genetic abnormality (the Philadelphia chromosome).