leukemia

American  

[loo-kee-mee-uh] / luˈki mi ə /

noun

Pathology.

leukemias plural

1. any of several cancers of the bone marrow that prevent the normal manufacture of red and white blood cells and platelets, resulting in anemia, increased susceptibility to infection, and impaired blood clotting.

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leukemia Scientific  

/ lo̅o̅-kē′mē-ə /

1. Any of various acute or chronic neoplastic diseases of the bone marrow in which unrestrained proliferation of white blood cells occurs, usually accompanied by anemia, impaired blood clotting, and enlargement of the lymph nodes, liver, and spleen. Certain viruses, genetic defects, chemicals, and ionizing radiation, are associated with an increased risk of leukemia, which is classified according to the cellular maturity of the involved white blood cells.

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leukemia Cultural  

1. A kind of cancer in which the number of white blood cells in the blood greatly increases. Leukemia usually spreads to the spleen, liver, lymph nodes, and other areas of the body, causing destruction of tissues and often resulting in death.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• antileukemic
  adjective
• leukemic
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• leukemias
  plural

Etymology

Origin of leukemia

First recorded in 1850–55; earlier leuchaemia, from German Leukämie; equivalent to leuko- + -emia

Explanation

Leukemia is a type of cancer that forms in the blood cells. Leukemia makes it very difficult for the body to fight off infection. Because it dramatically increases the number of white blood cells in a person's body, leukemia decreases red blood cells and platelets, both of which are necessary for keeping us healthy. Additionally, the white blood cells caused by leukemia can't fight infection the way they normally do. The word leukemia comes from the Greek words leukos, "white," and haima, "blood."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

leukemia leukemias

Zuckerman started his company “by accident” after his father died from leukemia.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 10, 2026

"You were the most amazing, strong brave little girl with what you fought through," she added, referring to Annie previously having leukemia as a child.

From BBC ● May 27, 2026

One of the first targets could be acute myeloid leukemia, an aggressive blood cancer with limited treatment options for many patients.

From Science Daily ● May 25, 2026

At the age of 3, he was diagnosed with leukemia: a cancer that causes the body to produce too many abnormal white blood cells.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 19, 2026

The doctors said she’d died from leukemia, but Mom thought it was radioactive poisoning.

From "The Glass Castle" by Jeannette Walls

For children with acute leukemias, who had effectively no long-term chance of survival just 75 years ago, the numbers are even more dramatic.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 28, 2025

"Not much drug development has happened in this space of T-cell leukemias and lymphomas," Paul says.

From Science Daily ● Apr. 2, 2024

In March 2020, Willan, who works at the University of Oxford and Wexham Park Hospital, began to track the hospital’s COVID-19 cases among people with leukemias, lymphomas, and other blood diseases.

From Science Magazine ● Mar. 20, 2023

Cancer coincides with roughly 1 in 1,000 pregnancies, most frequently breast cancer, melanoma, cervical cancer, lymphomas, and leukemias.

From Salon ● Sep. 19, 2022

This specialist now has a large number of detailed case histories based on every patient he has seen with leukemias, aplastic anemias, Hodgkin’s disease, and other disorders of the blood and blood-forming tissues.

From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson