leukemia

leu·ke·mi·a  (l-km-)

n.

Any of various acute or chronic neoplastic diseases of the bone marrow in which unrestrained proliferation of white blood cells occurs, usually accompanied by anemia, impaired blood clotting, and enlargement of the lymph nodes, liver, and spleen.

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leu·kemic adj. & n.

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leukemia  (l-km-)

Any of various acute or chronic neoplastic diseases of the bone marrow in which unrestrained proliferation of white blood cells occurs, usually accompanied by anemia, impaired blood clotting, and enlargement of the lymph nodes, liver, and spleen. Certain viruses, genetic defects, chemicals, and ionizing radiation, are associated with an increased risk of leukemia, which is classified according to the cellular maturity of the involved white blood cells.

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leukemia

a malignancy of blood-producing tissues, characterized by proliferating immature white blood cells and infiltration of the spleen, liver, and other organs. Also leukocythemia. — leukemie, leukemoid, adj.

See also: Cancer

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

leukemia - malignant neoplasm of blood-forming tissues; characterized by abnormal proliferation of leukocytes; one of the four major types of cancer cancer of the blood, leucaemia, leukaemia cancer, malignant neoplastic disease - any malignant growth or tumor caused by abnormal and uncontrolled cell division; it may spread to other parts of the body through the lymphatic system or the blood stream acute leukemia - rapidly progressing leukemia chronic leukemia - slowly progressing leukemia lymphocytic leukemia - leukemia characterized by enlargement of lymphoid tissues and lymphocytic cells in the circulating blood histiocytic leukaemia, histiocytic leukemia, monoblastic leukaemia, monoblastic leukemia, monocytic leukaemia, monocytic leukemia - leukemia characterized by the proliferation of monocytes and monoblasts in the blood myeloblastic leukemia - a malignant neoplasm of blood-forming tissues; characterized by numerous myeloblasts in the blood stream granulocytic leukemia, myelocytic leukemia - a malignant neoplasm of blood-forming tissues; marked by proliferation of myelocytes and their presence in the blood