For more information from the National Cancer Institute about childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia, see the following:

• What You Need To Know About™ Leukemia ¹
• Understanding Cancer Series: Blood Stem Cell Transplants ²
• Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in Children ³
• Bone Marrow Transplantation and Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation: Questions and Answers ⁴

For more childhood cancer information and other general cancer resources from the National Cancer Institute, see the following:

• What You Need to Know About™ Cancer - An Overview ⁵
• Childhood Cancers ⁶
• CureSearch - National Childhood Cancer Foundation Children’s Oncology Group ⁷
• Late Effects of Treatment for Childhood Cancer ⁸
• Young People with Cancer: A Handbook for Parents ⁹
• Care for Children and Adolescents with Cancer: Questions and Answers ¹⁰
• Understanding Cancer Series: Cancer ¹¹
• Staging: Questions and Answers ¹²
• Coping with Cancer ¹³
• Support and Resources ¹⁴
• Cancer Library ¹⁵
• Information for Survivors/Caregivers/Advocates ¹⁶

Glossary Terms

A term for diseases in which abnormal cells divide without control. Cancer cells can invade nearby tissues and can spread to other parts of the body through the blood and lymph systems. There are several main types of cancer. Carcinoma is cancer that begins in the skin or in tissues that line or cover internal organs. Sarcoma is cancer that begins in bone, cartilage, fat, muscle, blood vessels, or other connective or supportive tissue. Leukemia is cancer that starts in blood-forming tissue such as the bone marrow, and causes large numbers of abnormal blood cells to be produced and enter the blood. Lymphoma and multiple myeloma are cancers that begin in the cells of the immune system. Central nervous system cancers are cancers that begin in the tissues of the brain and spinal cord.

The National Cancer Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, is the Federal Government's principal agency for cancer research. The National Cancer Institute conducts, coordinates, and funds cancer research, training, health information dissemination, and other programs with respect to the cause, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of cancer. Access the National Cancer Institute Web site at http://www.cancer.gov. Also called NCI.