Leukemia is a cancer that starts in blood-forming tissue such as the bone marrow and causes large numbers of blood cells to be produced and enter the bloodstream.

Estimated new cases and deaths from leukemia in the United States in 2009:

New cases:  44,790
Deaths:  21,870
 
To learn more about leukemia, visit the National Cancer Institute web site at: http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/types/leukemia