US Medical Term · conditions
Leukemia
Leucemia
In 9 languages
| Language | Term |
|---|---|
| English | Leukemia |
| Spanish (Español) | Leucemia |
| Chinese (中文) | 白血病 |
| Korean (한국어) | 백혈병 |
| Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt) | Bệnh bạch cầu |
| Filipino (Tagalog) | Lukimya |
| Portuguese (Português) | Leucemia |
| Thai (ภาษาไทย) | มะเร็งเม็ดเลือดขาว |
| Japanese (日本語) | 白血病 |
What it means
Leukemia is a cancer of the blood and bone marrow that causes the body to produce abnormal white blood cells. These cells crowd out healthy blood cells, leading to fatigue, frequent infections, easy bruising, and bleeding. Leukemia can be acute (fast-growing) or chronic (slow-growing), and is classified by the type of white blood cell affected. Treatment depends on the type and may include chemotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, or stem cell transplant. Children with leukemia often respond very well to treatment. Early diagnosis improves outcomes significantly.
How to say it
Sentences a patient might use with a doctor, nurse, pharmacist, or insurer:
My blood work showed abnormal white blood cell counts and my hematologist suspects leukemia.
Mis análisis de sangre mostraron recuentos anormales de glóbulos blancos y mi hematólogo sospecha leucemia.
What is the difference between acute and chronic leukemia?
¿Cuál es la diferencia entre la leucemia aguda y la crónica?
My child was diagnosed with leukemia — what does treatment typically look like?
A mi hijo le diagnosticaron leucemia. ¿En qué consiste generalmente el tratamiento?
Where you'll see it
Related ICD-10-CM category
C91 Lymphoid leukemiaRelated terms
Sources
Last reviewed: September 2026