Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia Facts

April 19, 2024 
This page was reviewed under our medical and editorial policy by Guido Marcucci, M.D., Chair, Department of Hematologic Malignancies Translational Science, City of Hope Duarte

Acute lymphocytic leukemia, also called acute lymphoblastic leukemia or ALL, is a type of blood cell and bone marrow cancer that may affect adults and children.

ALL is not a common cancer, representing less than half of 1% of all cancers diagnosed in the United States, according to the American Cancer Society. About 6,550 new cases of ALL are diagnosed each year.

This guide provided information on ALL causes, risk factors and statistics.

What Is Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia?

ALL is a type of leukemia, meaning it is a cancer of the blood cells. In ALL, the bone marrow overproduces lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell. These cells behave abnormally, impairing the body’s ability to fight infection. Their high numbers may also leave less room in the blood for healthy blood cells.

When leukemia is acute, this means it worsens quickly if not treated. In some cases, ALL may spread to other areas of the body, such as the spinal cord or lymph nodes.

What Causes Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia?

Acute lymphocytic leukemia is caused by genetic changes in the body. Certain genes may be abnormal, either due to changes inherited from parents or outside factors such as exposure to substances in the environment.

Chromosomes contain genes that tell cells when to divide and grow. When genes go haywire, cells may behave abnormally, leading to cancer.

However, the exact cause for ALL gene changes in a patient is often unclear.

Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia Risk Factors

Certain risk factors may increase a person’s lifetime risk of developing ALL. Some are inherited, while others are related to personal or environmental factors.

Risk factors that have been linked to ALL include those listed below.

Chemicals and radiation: Previous exposure to radiation, chemicals such as benzene or previous chemotherapy treatment.

Inherited genetic syndromes: These include Down syndrome, Klinefelter syndrome and Fanconi anemia.

Viral infections: The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) or human T cell lymphoma/leukemia virus-1 (very rare in the United States).

Ethnicity: ALL may occur in any ethnic group, but it is diagnosed more often in white individuals than African Americans.

Age and gender: ALL is more common in males than females and is most often found in children and adults over 50.

Having one or more of these risk factors does not mean a patient will develop ALL, but it may prompt more frequent medical visits for monitoring. A patient’s health care team may provide more details on how risk factors may impact health.