Leukemia or leukaemia is a type of cancer of the blood or bone marrow characterized by an
abnormal increase of immature white blood cells called "blasts". Leukemia can affect people at any age. In 2000 approximately
256,000 children and adults around the world had developed some form
of leukemia, and 209,000 have died from it. About 90% of all leukemias are diagnosed in adults.