About Leukemia and Lymphoma  

Leukemia, lymphoma, and myeloma are cancers of the bone marrow and blood. Leukemia occurs in acute and chronic forms, with acute leukemia more common in children and the chronic form of the disease more likely to appear in middle-age. Lymphoma and myeloma are cancers related to leukemia because they involve the uncontrolled growth of similar cells.

Facts and Figures

• Every five minutes someone in the United States learns that he or she has leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease, or myeloma -more than 300 people a day.
• An estimated 2,200 Minnesotans will be diagnosed with leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease, or myeloma this year.
• An estimated 109,500 Americans will be diagnosed with leukemia, lymphoma, or myeloma this year. 
• An estimated 640,000 Americans are currently living with leukemia, lymphoma,      Hodgkin's disease, and myeloma.
• The overall five-year survival rate has tripled in the past 40 years for patients with leukemia. In 1960, the overall five-year survival rate was 14 percent, by the 1970s it had reached 35 percent, and now the overall five-year survival rate is 44 percent.
• Every nine minutes, another child or adult will die from leukemia or a related cancer.
• Leukemia is the number one disease killer in children, yet it affects 10 times as many adults.
• There is great cause for hope because there is now an 81 percent survival rate for children and 56 percent for adults with leukemia. 
• For Hodgkin's disease the survival rate is 82 percent for adults and 92 percent for children.

Symptoms

• Symptoms of leukemia may include:
  o Anemia
  o Weakness
  o Chronic fatigue
  o High fever
  o Bleeding without clotting
  o Bruising easily
  o Recurrent infection
  o Pain in joints and bones
  o Swelling of lymph nodes, spleen, or liver 
• Symptoms of lymphoma may include:
  o Painless swelling of lymph nodes
  o Fever
  o Night sweats
  o Tiredness
  o Weight loss
  o Itchy skin