Bone marrow, which resides at the center of bones carries out two important bodily functions. These processes, necessarily for survival are: the formation of blood cells, and the formation of lymphocytes. Lymphocytes are another name for the T-cells and B-cells involved in immune response (which we learned about in the "Immunology Lecture")
The onset of leukemia is associated with mutations which result in the uncontrolled division of blood cells. In the "Human Genetics" Lecture, we learned that mitosis and meiosis are regulated processes. However, cancerous cells divide without the normal stopping mechanisms. Tumors often form as a result.
Taken from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IeUANxFVXKc
There exsist two broad categories of leukemia: myelogenous and lymphocytyc. Within those are several different sub-groups, each of which is characterized by the kind of cell affected, and how quickly the disease develops. The next pages will explore each type more in-depth.
