hi..leukemias are malignancy of wbc...there can be 3 types..depending on the cells involved
1.monocytic -very rare
2.lymphocytic
3.myelocytic-that is when granulocytes r involved
classified acc. to duration as
1.acute
2.chronic
Acute are very lethal..there course is rapid..patients die if untreated..always the cells are blast type..that is poorly differentiated
1.ALL - mostly in infants and children...can be cured
2.AML - seen in adults
Chronic are more differentiated cells.. longer course..
1.CLL - seen in adults
2.CML - adults..ass. with philidelphia chromosome..translocation of long arm of 22 to 9...
allways remember that chronic leukemias will show more spleenomegaly and hepatomegaly then acute ones..the rest of the symtoms are almost similar..kaplan states them..and also ALL is more prone to develop in children with Down's syndrome..EB virus is also considered in etiology of Chronic.. i think this should help...anyone wants to add any more details..most welcomed...all the best.