‘Leukaemia’- from the Greek words ‘leukos’ meaning ‘white’, and ‘aima’ meaning ‘blood’ – is a cancer of the blood cells.
Unlike most cancers, leukemic cells don’t belong to an organ and don’t result in tumour. Instead the uncontrolled cell growth takes place in the bone marrow – where blood cells are produced.
While survival rates for some types of leukaemia have improved dramatically, this family of blood cancers remains a potentially fatal disease.
Nature Video takes a look to see what goes awry in the main forms of this cancer – a disease that is becoming less lethal thanks to the development of precisely targeted drugs.
If you’re interested in finding out more you can also access the Leukaemia Outlook, free online for six months.
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