ON THIS PAGE: You will read about the scientific research being done to learn more about this type of cancer and how to treat it. Use the menu to see other pages.

Doctors are working to learn more about acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), ways to treat it, how to best treat it, and how to provide the best care to children diagnosed with this disease. The following areas of research may include new options for patients through clinical trials. Always talk with your child’s doctor about the best diagnostic and treatment options for your child.

ON THIS PAGE: You will learn about the factors that doctors use to describe this type of cancer. This is called classification. Use the menu on the side of your screen.

There is no staging system for childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), unlike some other types of cancer. However, there are a number of factors that help doctors choose the best treatment plan and predict the chance that the disease will come back after treatment. Doctors plan each child’s treatment based on these and other factors:

ON THIS PAGE: You will find a list of the common tests, procedures, and scans that doctors can use to find the cause of a medical problem. Use the menu to see other pages.

Doctors use many tests to find, or diagnose, leukemia. They also do tests to learn if cancer has spread to another part of the body from where it started. If the cancer has spread, it is called metastasis. Doctors may also do tests to learn which treatments could work best.

ON THIS PAGE: You will find out more about changes and other things that can signal a problem that may need medical care. Use the menu to see other pages.

ON THIS PAGE: You will find out more about the factors that increase the chance of developing childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Use the menu to see other pages.

A risk factor is anything that increases a person’s chance of developing cancer. Although risk factors often influence the development of cancer, most do not directly cause cancer. Some people with several risk factors never develop cancer, while others with no known risk factors do.

ON THIS PAGE: You will find drawings of the main body parts affected by this disease. Use the menu to see other pages.

ON THIS PAGE: You will find some basic information about this disease and the parts of the body it may affect. This is the first page of Cancer.Net’s Guide to Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL). Use the menu to see other pages. Think of that menu as a roadmap for this entire guide.

Editorial Note: Please note that this section is currently under review and will be updated soon.

ON THIS PAGE: You will find some basic information about this disease and the parts of the body it may affect. This is the first page of Cancer.Net’s Guide to Adult Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia. Use the menu to see other pages. Think of that menu as a roadmap for this complete guide.

ON THIS PAGE: You will find some helpful links to other areas of Cancer.Net that provide information about cancer care and treatment. This is the final page of Cancer.Net’s Guide to Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia in adults. Use the menu to go back and see other pages.

Cancer.Net includes many other sections about the medical and emotional aspects of leukemia for the person diagnosed and their family members and friends. This website is meant to be a resource for you and your loved ones from the time of diagnosis, through treatment, and beyond.

ON THIS PAGE: You will learn about how doctors describe ALL. This is called subtype and classification. Use the menu to see other pages.

Doctors divide ALL into subtypes and classify the disease based on the type of lymphocytes that are affected. For example, flow cytometry (see Diagnosis) distinguishes between ALL involving T cells or B cells. Specific chromosomal or genetic changes in the cancer cells are used to help plan treatment and predict prognosis.

Subtypes include:

• Precursor B-cell ALL