Some types of leukemia are not divided into stages but are classified according to their treatment status. Others are divided into stages 0 through IV, according to how advanced they are.
Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia
Acute lymphoblastic leukemia has no standard staging system. Instead it is classified as follows:
- Untreated: The leukemia has just been diagnosed and has not been treated except to relieve symptoms such as infection, bleeding, or pain. The complete blood count is abnormal, and the patient is showing some symptoms. More than 5 percent of the cells in the bone marrow are leukemia cells.
- In remission: The leukemia has been treated, and the complete blood count is normal. There are no signs or symptoms of leukemia in the spinal cord or brain, and less than 5 percent of the cells in the bone marrow are leukemia cells.
- Recurrent: The leukemia has returned to the blood, bone marrow, or other parts of the body after treatment.
Acute Myeloid Leukemia
There is no standard staging system for acute myeloid leukemia. The disease is classified as follows:
- Untreated: The disease has been diagnosed but not treated except to relieve symptoms such as infection. The complete blood count is abnormal and more than 20 percent of the cells in the bone marrow are leukemia cells. The patient does show some signs or symptoms of leukemia.
- In remission: The disease has been treated. The complete blood count is normal, and less than 5 percent of bone marrow cells are leukemia cells. There are no signs or symptoms of leukemia in the brain, spinal cord, or the rest of the body.
- Recurrent: The leukemia has returned to the blood, bone marrow, or other parts of the body after treatment.
Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia is classified into five stages:
- Stage 0: Too many lymphocytes (immature white blood cells) are found in the blood, but there are no other symptoms.
- Stage I: Too many lymphocytes are found in the blood, and the lymph nodes are swollen.
- Stage II: Too many lymphocytes are found in the blood, the lymph nodes are swollen, and the liver or spleen is larger than normal.
- Stage III: Too many lymphocytes are found in the blood, and there are also too few red blood cells. The lymph nodes, liver, or spleen may be enlarged.
- Stage IV: Too many lymphocytes are found in the blood, and there are also too few platelets. The lymph nodes, liver, or spleen may be enlarged, and there may also be too few red blood cells.
Learn more about chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia
Chronic myelogenous leukemia is classified into three phases:
- Chronic phase: Fewer than 10 percent of the cells in the blood and bone marrow are abnormal (leukemic) cells.
- Accelerated phase: 10 to 19 percent of the cells in the blood and bone marrow are abnormal.
- Blastic phase: 20 percent or more of the cells in the blood and bone marrow are abnormal.
Hairy Cell Leukemia
There is no standard staging system for hairy cell leukemia. It is classified as follows:
- Untreated: The disease has not been treated except to treat symptoms such as weight loss or infection. Leukemia cells are found in the blood and bone marrow, the spleen may be larger than normal, and the number of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets may be abnormal.
- Progressive: The leukemia has been treated. There may be an increase in the number of leukemia cells in the blood and bone marrow, or the number of other blood cells is abnormal.
- Refractory: The leukemia has not responded to treatment.
- Relapsed: The leukemia has returned after treatment.
Learn more about leukemias and lymphomas:
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