A to Z of leukaemia: what the words mean

A

Acupuncture: a type of complementary therapy where fine needles are inserted into certain areas of your body.

Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL): a fast-growing type of blood cancer that affects blood cells called lymphoblasts.

Acute megakaryoblastic leukaemia (AMKL): a rare subtype of acute myeloid leukaemia.

Acute myeloid leukaemia (AML): a fast-growing type of blood cancer that starts in blood-forming cells called myeloid stem cells.

Acute myelomonocytic leukaemia (AMML): a rare subtype of acute myeloid leukaemia.

Acute promyelocytic leukaemia (APL): a rare subtype of acute myeloid leukaemia.

Advance decision: a legal document where you make a record of any treatments you do not want to have in the future (also called a living will).

Advance statement: a document where you make a record of how you would like to be cared for in the future.

Allogeneic: using cells from a donor.

Anaemia: a low red blood cell count.

Anaesthetic: a medicine to numb part of your body (local anaesthetic) or send you to sleep (general anaesthetic) so you don’t feel any pain during medical procedures.

Anagrelide: a medicine to reduce the number of platelets in your blood.

Antibody therapy: a lab-made antibody that sticks to targets on cancer cells, so your immune system can kill the cells.

Antibody: an immune system protein that helps fight infections by sticking to targets on the surface of cells that don’t belong in your body.

Antibody-drug conjugate: a lab-made antibody joined to a cancer drug.

ATO (also known as arsenic trioxide): a medicine used to treat acute promyelocytic leukaemia.

ATRA (also known as tretinoin): a medicine used to treat acute promyelocytic leukaemia.

Atypical CML: a blood condition that used to be confused with CML. It is now called MDS/MPN with neutrophilia.

Autologous: using cells from your own body.

Azacitidine: a chemotherapy medicine used to treat acute myeloid leukaemia, chronic myelomonocytic leukaemia, myelodysplastic syndromes and some other blood cancers.

B

B cell or B lymphocyte: a type of white blood cell that makes antibodies.

BCR-ABL1 gene: a changed gene found in chronic myeloid leukaemia, some types of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia and some other types of blood cancer.

Biopsy: a test to take a small sample of tissue.

Bispecific antibody: a lab-made antibody that sticks to two different targets – one on a cancer cell, and one on an immune cell that can kill the cancer cell.

Blast phase: a period when chronic myeloid leukaemia is growing rapidly or aggressively.

Blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm (BPDCN): a fast-growing type of cancer that starts in immature blood cells.

Blood transfusion: a procedure to give you donated blood through a drip into a vein.

Bone marrow test: a test to take a sample of the spongy tissue from the centre of a bone, usually your pelvis.

Bone marrow: the spongy centre of some of your larger bones where blood cells are made.

Busulfan: a type of chemotherapy medicine that stops cancer cells in your bone marrow multiplying.

C

CALR gene: the gene that codes for a protein called calreticulin (CALR).

CALR: a protein called calreticulin that helps your cells to function normally.

Cancer: an illness that happens when abnormal cells grow and divide uncontrollably.

Capillary leak syndrome: a condition that happens when fluid leaks out of small blood vessels and builds up around your body.

CAR T-cell therapy: a treatment that involves modifying your own immune cells in a lab so they can recognise and kill cancer cells.

CD (followed by a number): proteins found on the surface of white blood cells.

Central line: a long, thin plastic tube used to give you medicines into your veins or take blood. It enters the skin in your arm or your chest and ends in a large vein near your heart.

Central nervous system: your brain and spinal cord.

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF): the fluid that surrounds your brain and spinal cord.

Chemoimmunotherapy: chemotherapy given alongside medicines that use your own immune system to fight disease.

Chemotherapy: medicine that kills cancer cells or stops them dividing and multiplying.

Chromosomes: long strands of DNA inside your cells. Each chromosome contains lots of different genes.

Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL): a slow-growing type of blood cancer that affects blood cells called lymphocytes.

Chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML): a slow-growing type of blood cancer that starts in blood-forming cells called myeloid stem cells.

Chronic myelomonocytic leukaemia (CMML): a rare type of blood cancer that affects blood cells called monocytes.

Chronic phase: the period when chronic myeloid leukaemia is growing slowly.

Chronic: long-term or lasting for a long time.

Clinical nurse specialist (CNS): an experienced nurse who has specialised in a particular area of nursing. They can offer you advanced care, support, advice and guidance.

Clinical trials: research studies that aim to find out what treatments work best for particular conditions.

Clotting factors: proteins that help your blood clot.

Complete remission: when tests and scans can’t find any cancer left in your body.

Conditioning therapy: the treatment you have to get your body ready for a stem cell transplant.

Consolidation treatment: treatment that aims to kills any leukaemia cells that may be left after induction therapy.

CT scan: a scan that uses X-rays and a computer to make detailed pictures of the inside of your body.

Cytarabine: a chemotherapy medicine.

Cytogenetic response: how well leukaemia is responding to treatment based on the number of bone marrow cells that have a chromosome change.

Cytogenetic tests: lab tests that look at the chromosomes in your cells.

Cytomegalovirus (CMV): a common virus that is usually harmless. It can cause problems after a stem cell transplant or if you have a weakened immune system.

Cytoreductive: a type of treatment that aims to reduce the number of cancer cells in your body.

D

Daratumumab: an antibody therapy used to treat multiple myeloma and, sometimes, other types of blood cancer.

Daunorubicin: a chemotherapy medicine.

Dermatologist: a doctor who specialises in skin diseases.

Diabetes: a common lifelong condition that causes your blood sugar level to become too high.

Differentiation syndrome: a life-threatening reaction to some cancer medicines. It can happen when white blood cells mature rapidly and release too many immune chemicals.

Donor lymphocyte infusion: a dose of white blood cells from a healthy donor that you have through a drip into a vein.

Down’s syndrome: a condition when a person is born with an extra copy of chromosome 21.

DNA: the genetic code that tells your cells how to grow and behave.

E

ECG: a test to check the electrical signals in your heart.

Embryo: an unborn baby at an early stage of development.

End of life care: treatment to help you live as well as possible until you die.

Engraftment syndrome: symptoms that sometimes happen when stem cells settle into the bone marrow after a stem cell transplant.

Erythema nodosum: a non-cancerous skin condition that causes painful red or dark patches. It can look different on different skin tones.

Essential thrombocythaemia (ET): a type of myeloproliferative neoplasm where your body makes too many platelets.

F

Familial: a condition that may affect several members of the same family.

Fatigue: extreme tiredness or lack of energy that can interfere with your usual activities and doesn’t get better when you rest.

First-line treatment: the first treatment you have for your condition.

Frontline treatment: Another name for first-line treatment.

G

Gene: a section of DNA that tells your cells how to make a particular protein.

Genetic changes: changes to genes that can affect the proteins a cell makes. This may change how a cell behaves and grows. They are also known as genetic variants.

Genetic variations: changes to genes that can affect how a cell behaves and grows.

Genetic: relating to genes.

Gout: a type of arthritis in which small crystals of uric acid form inside and around your joints. This can cause sudden, severe joint pain.

Graft failure: when a stem cell transplant does not work because the donor stem cells do not settle into your bone marrow or start making new blood cells.

Graft versus host disease (GvHD): when immune cells that grow from donor stem cells mistakenly attack your healthy cells.

Granulocyte: a type of white blood cell that helps fight infections.

Growth factor: a type of medicine that boosts your blood cell counts.

H

Haematocrit: the percentage of red blood cells in your blood.

Haematological response: how well leukaemia is responding to treatment based on your blood cell counts.

Haematologist: a doctor who specialises in diseases of the blood.

Haematology: the branch of medicine that deals with diseases of the blood.

Haemoglobin: the protein your red blood cells that transports oxygen around your body.

Hickman line: a type of central line that enters the skin in your chest and goes into a large vein near your heart. It’s used to give you medicines or take blood samples.

Hormone: a natural chemical that carries messages around your bloodstream to control many of your body’s functions.

Human leukocyte antigen (HLA): protein markers on the surface of cells that your immune system uses to work out what is ‘you’ and what is not.

Hydroxycarbamide: a chemotherapy medicine that helps lower your blood cell counts.

I

Idarubicin: a chemotherapy medicine.

Induction treatment: treatment that aims to kills as many leukaemia cells as possible.

Intensive treatment: strong treatment that aims to cure your leukaemia. It usually happens in phases, sometimes called induction, consolidation or post-induction, and maintenance.

Immune system: the cells and systems in your body that protect you from infection.

Immunophenotyping: lab tests to find out what proteins are on the surface of your cells.

Interferon: a protein that helps your body fight viruses.

Intolerance: having side effects that are hard to cope with.

Intrathecal chemotherapy: chemotherapy given into the fluid around your spinal cord through a needle in your back.

Inversion: when a chromosome breaks in two places, the broken piece is reversed and then goes back into the chromosome back-to-front.

J

JAK inhibitors: targeted medicines that block proteins involved in blood cell production.

JAK2 gene: the gene that codes for the JAK2 protein.

JAK2: a protein that helps regulate blood cell production.

K

L

Leukaemia: a group of cancers that usually start in the bone marrow and lead to high numbers of abnormal blood cells.

Leukapheresis: a procedure to remove some of your white blood cells.

Liver: a large organ in your body that sits under your ribs on the right. It helps fight infection and disease, balances your hormones, cleans your blood and processes food.

Lumbar puncture: a test to collect a sample of the fluid that surrounds your brain and spinal cord through a needle in your back.

Lymph nodes: small, bean-shaped structures in your neck, armpits, groin and other parts of the body that are part of your immune system. They may become swollen when you are unwell.

Lymphatic system: a network of tubes, tissues and organs throughout your body, which helps protect you from infection.

Lymphocyte: a type of white blood cell that helps fight infections.

Lymphocyte doubling time: the time it takes for the number of lymphocytes in your blood to double.

Lymphoma: a type of cancer that affects blood cells called lymphocytes in your lymphatic system.

M

Maintenance treatment: treatment that aims to reduce the risk of your leukaemia coming back.

Matched unrelated donor (MUD): a stem cell donor who is not related to you but has a matching tissue type.

Medical exemption certificate: a certificate that entitles you to free NHS prescriptions in England.

Mini-stroke: a temporary disruption in the blood supply to your brain. Also called a transient ischaemic attack (TIA).

Molecular response: how well leukaemia is responding to treatment based on the level of changed genes in your blood or bone marrow.

Molecular tests: lab tests that look for particular gene changes in your cells.

Monocyte: a type of white blood cell that helps fight infections.

MPL gene: the gene that codes for a protein that helps control the number of blood cells in your bone marrow, particularly your platelets.

MRD (minimal residual disease): low levels of leukaemia cells left in your body after treatment. MRD negative means none can be detected.

MRI scan: a scan that uses strong magnets to take detailed pictures of the inside of your body.

Mucositis: inflammation of the cells lining your mouth and gut.

Multidisciplinary team: the healthcare professionals who work together to treat you.

Myeloblast: a type of immature white blood cell.

Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS): a type of cancer where your bone marrow produces immature, abnormal blood cells that do not work properly.

Myelodysplastic-myeloproliferative neoplasm (MDS/MPN): blood cancers that have features of both a myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and a myeloproliferative neoplasm (MPN).

Myelofibrosis (MF): a type of cancer where your bone marrow becomes filled with scar tissue, which stops it making enough healthy blood cells.

Myeloid stem cells: blood-forming cells.

Myeloid: relating to bone marrow.

Myeloma: a type of cancer that develops from white blood cells in your bone marrow called plasma cells.

Myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN): blood cancers that develop when cells in your bone marrow grow out of control and make too many blood cells.

N

Neutropenia: a low level of white blood cells called neutrophils.

Neutrophilia: a high level of white blood cells called neutrophils.

Neutrophils: white blood cells that help you fight inflammation and infection.

Non-intensive treatment: gentler treatment that usually aims to control your leukaemia rather than cure it.

O

Off-label: when a doctor prescribes a medicine that’s approved for one condition to treat a different condition.

P

Palliative care: treatment to help reduce symptoms and side effects and improve your quality of life.

Partial remission: when there’s less cancer in your body than there was before treatment, but it hasn’t gone completely.

Pathologist: a doctor who specialises in testing blood and tissue samples.

PCR test: a lab test that looks for particular pieces of genetic code in your cells.

Peginterferon: medicine that alters the way your immune system works and helps stop cancer cells growing and multiplying.

PET/CT scan: a scan that uses a special dye containing a harmless radioactive sugar and specialised X-rays to take pictures of the inside of your body.

Pharmacist: a specialist in medicines and how they work.

Philadelphia chromosome: a changed chromosome found in chronic myeloid leukaemia, some types of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia and some other types of blood cancer.

PICC line: a type of central line that enters the skin in your upper arm and goes into a large vein near your heart. It’s used to give you medicines or take blood samples.

Plasmacytoid dendritic cell: a type of blood cell that helps your body fight viruses by making a protein called interferon.

Platelet: a type of blood cell that helps your blood clot and stops bleeding.

PML-RARA gene: a changed gene found in acute promyelocytic leukaemia.

Polycythaemia vera (PV): a type of cancer where your bone marrow makes too many red blood cells.

Post-ET MF: secondary myelofibrosis (MF) that develops from another type of blood cancer called essential thrombocythaemia (ET).

Primary myelofibrosis (MF): when myelofibrosis develops in a person who has not had bone marrow problems before.

Primary resistance: when cancer does not respond to your first treatment.

Prognosis: the expected outcome of your condition, based on your individual characteristics.

Promyelocyte: a type of immature blood cell.

Proteins: the building blocks of every cell, tissue and organ in your body. Your body needs proteins for growth, repair, and to fight infections.

Q

R

Radiographer: a healthcare professional who uses specialist equipment to take images of the inside of your body. They work as part of a team to diagnose and treat illnesses.

Radiologist: a doctor who specialises in using medical imaging to diagnose, treat and monitor diseases and injuries.

Radiotherapy: treatment that uses high doses of radiation to kill cancer cells.

Red blood cell: a type of cell in your blood that carries oxygen around your body.

Refractory: cancer that does not respond well to your first treatment.

Relapse: when cancer comes back after successful treatment.

Remission: when tests or scans after treatment can find little or no cancer left in your body.

Ruxolitinib: a targeted medicine sometimes used to treat polycythaemia vera, myelofibrosis and graft versus host disease.

S

Secondary myelofibrosis (MF): when myelofibrosis develops from another myeloproliferative neoplasm MPN, such as essential thrombocythaemia (ET) or polycythaemia vera (PV).

Secondary resistance: when treatment works at first but then stops working.

Second-line treatment: treatment you have if your first treatment is unsuccessful.

Spleen: a fist-sized organ that sits under your ribs on the left side. It filters and stores blood and makes some blood cells.

Stem cell transplant: treatment that replaces damaged or abnormal blood-forming cells in your bone marrow with healthy ones.

Stem cells (blood): immature cells in your bone marrow that can develop into all the different blood cells your body needs.

Stem cells (general): immature cells that can develop into many different types of cells in your body.

Steroids: medicines that reduce inflammation and have anti-cancer effects.

Stroke: a serious medical condition that happens when the blood supply to a part of your brain is suddenly cut off.

Supportive care: medicine to prevent or treat symptoms or side effects.

Sweet syndrome: a rare, non-cancerous skin condition that causes a high temperature and tender red or purple lumps or patches. This can look different in different skin tones.

T

Tagraxofusp: a targeted medicine sometimes used to treat blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm (BPDCN).

Targeted treatments: medicines designed to block specific proteins on cancer cells.

Total body irradiation (TBI): radiotherapy to your whole body. You might have it as part of conditioning therapy before a stem cell transplant.

Total parenteral nutrition (TPN): having food through a drip into a vein (or your central line).

Transformation: when one type of blood cancer develops into another type, usually a faster-growing one.

Transfusion: having blood or blood products through a drip into a vein.

Translocation: when part of a chromosome swaps over with part of a different chromosome, or another part of the same chromosome.

Tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI): a type of targeted medicine that blocks a protein called tyrosine kinase. This protein is abnormal in some types of blood cancer.

Tyrosine kinase: a protein that helps control the growth and multiplication of cells. If it is abnormal, your bone marrow may make too many white blood cells.

U

Ultrasound: a scan that uses sound waves to look at the inside of your body.

Uric acid: a waste product your body makes when it breaks down chemicals called purines. These are naturally produced in your body and also come from foods or drinks.

V

Venesection: a simple procedure to remove some of your blood, similar to giving blood.

Venetoclax: a targeted medicine sometimes used to treat chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, acute myeloid leukaemia, and sometimes other types of blood cancer.

Veno-occlusive disease (VOD): blockage of the small blood vessels in your liver. It can sometimes happen after a stem cell transplant.

W

White blood cells: cells in your blood that help your body fight infections.

X

X-ray: a scan that uses low doses of radiation to take images of the inside of your body.

Y

Z