Common Types of Leukemia

The CEO of Arti Enterprises in Encino, California, Parvin Atabay immigrated to the United States at the time of the Iranian revolution in 1978. Starting out in Washington, DC, she attended the Academy of Aesthetics in Virginia and began her career in skincare. In addition to her professional responsibilities, Parvin Atabay donates her time and money to health organizations such as St. Jude's Children's Hospital, a pediatric research and treatment facility whose primary focus is children's diseases such as leukemia.

As the most common cancer in children and teens, leukemia accounts for almost one out of three cancers. The most common types of leukemia that affect children are acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

ALL is a type of cancer that starts in the bone marrow. As its name suggests, acute lymphocytic leukemia progresses rapidly by developing immature white blood cells known as lymphocytes. Symptoms associated with ALL include bruising, enlarged lymph nodes, bone pain, fever, frequent infections, and bleeding gums.

AML also starts in the bone marrow and rapidly moves into the blood. It usually develops from cells that would form into white blood cells other than the lymphocytes. However, it can also evolve in different blood-forming cell types. Symptoms associated with AML include recurrent infections, fatigue, bruising, swollen liver or spleen, tiny red spots on the skin, and headaches.