Understanding Leukemia
White blood cells are an important part of the immune system in both animals and humans. When these cells, which come in various types, begin to divide out of control in the blood or bone marrow, they become the cancer known as leukemia. This type of cancer can be either acute or chronic.
Acute cancer cells are immature, while chronic cancerous cells are more mature. The acute cells tend to be more aggressive because they are more readily able to divide and do so at a rapid rate. In this type of cancer, the bone marrow is unable to produce healthy cells due to the presence of the cancerous cells overcrowding the marrow. It also tends to have poor responses to chemotherapy.
