Acute vs. Chronic Leukemia: An Oncologist Explains the Difference

Blood cancer comes in many forms, each with unique characteristics, prognoses, and treatment options. Leukemia is a type of blood cancer (along with myeloma and lymphoma) that starts in the stem cells (early blood cells) of the bone marrow, according to Sangmin Lee, MD, hematologist-oncologist at Weill Cornell Medicine and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital.

Leukemia can be divided into additional subtypes, depending on which blood cells are affected (myeloid or lymphocytic) and how quickly the leukemia is progressing (acute or chronic).

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Written by:

Lauren Smith, MA

Lauren Smith, MA, has worked in health journalism since 2017. Before joining GoodRx, she was the senior health editor and writer for HealthiNation.

Reviewed by:

Sanjai Sinha, MD

Sanjai Sinha, MD, is a board-certified physician with over 20 years of experience. He specializes in internal medicine.

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