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Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia

Overview

Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) is a rare type of cancer that affects the blood and bone marrow.

Symptoms of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia include feeling tired, bleeding or bruising easily, looking more pale than usual and getting ill a lot.

You may be more likely to get acute lymphoblastic leukaemia if you're a child or young adult, or if you have a genetic condition like Down's syndrome.

Tests to check for acute lymphoblastic leukaemia include blood tests and taking a sample from your bone marrow to test.

Treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukaemia may include steroids, chemotherapy, targeted medicines or a stem cell or bone marrow transplant.

If you have acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, you can get support from your specialist team and charities like Blood Cancer UK and Macmillan.

Page last reviewed: 01/01/1970
Next review due: 01/01/1970