Leighton & Her Family
(Actual Patient & Family)
ALL & LBL
Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and lymphoblastic lymphoma (LBL) are different manifestations of the same disease, both affecting white blood cells.
ALL and LBL are caused when lymphoblasts, which are immature white blood cells, fail to mature into white blood cells called lymphocytes. The immature lymphoblasts malfunction and grow out of control, leading to blood cancer. One of 2 types of lymphocytes may be affected in ALL and LBL: B-cell or T-cell.
About ALL
ALL is a cancer of the white blood cells in the bone marrow that can also impact platelets and the red blood cells. Leukemia is a broad term for cancers of the blood cells.
In a healthy person, lymphocytes mature and help the body fight infection. In ALL, lymphocytes are not able to mature, and the immature cells, known as lymphoblasts, become leukemia cells.
Normal Blood
Leukemia
Red blood cell
Cancer cell
White blood cell
Platelets
Leukemia and lymphoma cells grow faster than healthy blood cells. Also, these cells are not able to properly fight infection. So when these cells spread out of control, they can quickly outnumber the healthy cells your body needs.
An estimated
6,540
people in the US will be diagnosed with ALL in 2023, which is
LESS THAN 1%
of all new cancer cases
ALL is the most common type of cancer in children;
MORE THAN
53%
of ALL patients are 19 years old or younger
ALL can also occur in adults
About LBL
LBL also affects white blood cells but does not start in the bone marrow. The abnormal white blood cells usually build up in the lymph nodes or thymus (located in the chest), but can also easily spread to the rest of the body.
In the US an estimated 1,600 people will be diagnosed with LBL in 2023. For LBL, 10% of cases are B-cell in origin. The other 90% of LBL cases are T-cell in origin.
An estimated
1,600
people in the US will be diagnosed with LBL in 2023