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The bone marrow is the spongy inner part of bones in which all of the different types of blood cells are made. Early (primitive) blood cells are called stem cells. As these stem cells mature, they develop into either red blood cells white blood cells (leukocytes), or platelets. There are three main types of white blood cells: granulocytes, monocytes, and lymphocytes.

• Red blood cells are responsible for carrying oxygen from the lungs to all the tissues in the body and carbon dioxide from the tissues back to the lungs.
• White blood cells are important in fighting infection.
• Platelets play a critical role in blood clotting.

Leukemia is a cancer of the white blood cells that arises from the bone marrow and circulates in the peripheral blood. It is characterized by uncontrolled growth of white blood cells. Leukemia is a disease of the blood cells and does not usually form a solid mass or tumor. Although leukemia starts in the bone marrow, it can spread to the blood, lymph nodes, spleen, liver, central nervous system (CNS) and other organs.

There are four major types of leukemia:

• Acute myelogenous leukemia (AML)
• Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML)
• Acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL)
• Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).

The terms "myelogenous" and "lymphocytic" denote the different types of cell involved. The terms "acute" or "chronic" refer to the rate of progression of the disease.

Acute leukemia is a rapidly progressing disease that results in the accumulation of immature, non-functional cells in the marrow and blood. As a result, the bone marrow often can no longer produce enough normal red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. Chronic leukemia progresses more slowly and permits greater numbers of more mature functional cells to be made.

Chronic myelogenous leukemia also known as chronic myeloid leukemia and chronic myelocytic leukemia, is a malignant cancer of the myeloid line of cells in the bone marrow that results in the uncontrolled growth of white blood cells in the bone marrow, bloodstream, and body tissues. It is estimated that about 5,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with chronic myelogenous leukemia each year. The annual incidence of chronic myelogenous leukemia is about 1 to 2 cases per 100,000 individuals. Chronic myelogenous leukemia affects males more than females and usually occurs in middle age adults. Although children can also develop the disease, childhood cases of chronic myelogenous leukemia account for only about 2% of all people who develop the condition.