11 Facts about Leukemia and Other Blood Cancers

1. Every 4 minutes someone in America is diagnosed with a blood cancer. Every 10 minutes, someone dies from it.
2. Leukemia is a type of cancer that develops from blood cells produced in bone marrow.
3. An estimated 43,000 people developed leukemia in 2010.
4. Lymphoma refers to blood cancer that develops in the lymphatic system.
5. An estimated 628,000 people were living with lymphoma in 2010.
6. The blood cancers leukemia, lymphoma, and myeloma make up almost 1 in 10 cancer-related deaths in America every year.
7. The cause of leukemia is unknown, but studies have found that risk factors include:
   • radiation
   • exposure to chemicals like formaldehyde
   • smoking
   • drugs with alkylating agents
   • genetic conditions such as down syndrome
8. Leukemia causes about 1/3 of all cancer deaths among children under 15.
9. The expected survival rate for the blood disease Myeloma is 39%.
10. Leukemia is the most common cancer in children under 20.
11. Current procedures require that a bone marrow donor gives 5% or less of his or her marrow, allowing cells to replace themselves in 4-6 weeks time.

Sources:

Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

Illinois Department of Public Health

National Marrow Donor Program