Understanding Cancer

Leukaemia in children

Childhood leukaemia is a cancer of the white blood cells, either fast- or slow-growing.

What is leukaemia?

Leukaemia is a cancer of the white blood cells. Your child’s body needs white blood cells to help fight infections.

There are two different types of white blood cell – lymphoid cells, also known as lymphocytes and myeloid cells. Normally these cells repair and reproduce in an orderly and controlled way. In Leukaemia, however, the process of cell reproduction gets out of control and the cells continue to divide but do not mature.

There are different types of childhood leukaemia, named ‘acute’ if they are fast growing or ‘chronic’ if they are slow growing. There are many different types of leukaemia which affect children and young people including:

Juvenile myelomonocytic leukaemia known as JMML
Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia, usually we call this ALL
Acute Myeloid Leukaemia, also known as AML
Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia, known as CML

Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia

Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) is an overproduction of immature lymphoid cells, called lymphoblasts. ALL is the only form of leukaemia that is more common in children than in adults.

Sophia was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia when she was just two years old. Watch the video to find out more about Sophia, including her battle with the side effects of treatment.

Learn about leg pain in children cancer through Benji’s story and how he was diagnosed with ALL at the age of 3.

Acute myeloid leukaemia

Acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) is an overproduction of immature myeloid cells, called myeloblasts. Around 76 of new cases of childhood AML are diagnosed every year in the UK, which accounts for 15% of children’s leukaemia cancer cases.

We need to find new treatments for acute myeloid leukaemia, particularly for children whose disease comes back.
Dr Rogosic

We’re funding Dr Rogosic to develop a new treatment for AML which could give these children a better chance of survival from this aggressive form of cancer.

Chronic myeloid leukaemia

Most childhood leukaemias are ‘acute’ meaning that they develop and progress rapidly. CML is a chronic leukaemia – meaning it develops slowly, often over many years. CML is rare in children, with around 5 cases per year in the UK. In addition, there are around 28 cases in teenagers and young adults each year.

Andy was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukaemia at the age of 18.

This came as an enormous shock to me and the family. We had only just come to terms with the news that my Mum had terminal bowel cancer and I was just a week away from going to university.
Andy

Can Leukaemia come back?

The likelihood of a relapse progressively decreases with time, particularly once maintenance treatment is completed.

What to expect

When you first see your GP

A diagnosis of childhood leukaemia is usually made on the basis of a blood test. This test will reveal low numbers of normal white blood cells and large numbers of abnormal white blood cells.

Once this has happened and the doctors have the results, you will be referred to hospital for further tests. A sample of bone marrow will be taken to confirm the exact diagnosis a lumber puncture may well be taken at the same time.

During Treatment

The mainstay of treatment is chemotherapy. During chemotherapy a combination of chemotherapy drugs and steroid medicines are given in several stages or blocks of treatment.

As well as chemotherapy, some children with high risk disease may also need a bone marrow transplant, or stem cell transplant.

What is happening in the body and are there any side effects?

The treatments used in childhood leukaemia often causes side effects. Most side effects are temporary and can be minimised with good supportive care, however some side effects of treatment can persist with long-term impact. The most common short term effects include:

Nausea and vomiting
Hair loss
Reduced resistance to infection
Bruising and bleeding
Tiredness
Gut and nutritional issues

A number of children may develop persistent side effects as a result of treatment, sometimes many years later, these are known as late effects. These can include

a small increase in the risk of developing a second cancer later in life
a reduction in normal bone growth
reduced fertility
a change in heart function

Understanding the types of childhood cancer

Each type of childhood cancer has unique characteristics and treatment needs. Here, we provide an overview of the 10 primary types to help you learn more about the various diagnoses that impact young lives.