In a healthy child, the bone marrow makes blood stem cells (immature cells) that become mature blood cells over time. A blood stem cell may become a myelod stem cell or alymphoid stem cell. A myelod stem cell becomes one of three types of mature blood cells: red blood cells that carry oxygen and other substances to all tissues of the body. Platelets that form blood clots to stop bleeding. White blood cells that fight infection and disease. A lymphoid stem cell becomes a lymphoblast cell and then one of three types of flymphocytes or white blood cells: B lymphocytes that make antibodies to help fight infection, T lymphocytes that help B lymphocytes make the antibodies that help fight infection. Natural killer cells that attack cancer cells and viruses.In a child with ALL, too many stem cells become lymphoblasts, B lymphocytes, or T lymphocytes. These cells are cancer (leukemia) cells. The leukemia cells do not work like normal lymphocytes and are not able to fight infection very well. Also, as the number of leukemia cells increases in the blood and bone marrow, there is less room for healthy white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets. This may lead to infection, anemia, and easy
In a healthy child, the bone marrow makes blood stem cells (immature cells) that become mature blood cells over time. A blood stem cell may become a myelod stem cell or alymphoid stem cell. A myelod stem cell becomes one of three types of mature blood cells: red blood cells that carry oxygen and other substances to all tissues of the body. Platelets that form blood clots to stop bleeding. White blood cells that fight infection and disease. A lymphoid stem cell becomes a lymphoblast cell and then one of three types of flymphocytes or white blood cells: B lymphocytes that make antibodies to help fight infection, T lymphocytes that help B lymphocytes make the antibodies that help fight infection. Natural killer cells that attack cancer cells and viruses.In a child with ALL, too many stem cells become lymphoblasts, B lymphocytes, or T lymphocytes. These cells are cancer (leukemia) cells. The leukemia cells do not work like normal lymphocytes and are not able to fight infection very well. Also, as the number of leukemia cells increases in the blood and bone marrow, there is less room for healthy white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets. This may lead to infection, anemia, and easy