Final answer:
Leukemia is a blood cancer that arises in the bone marrow, causing the body to produce an excessive number of abnormal white blood cells. It can be chronic or acute and results in symptoms that affect normal body functions. Treatments are available that can extend life expectancy and may cure the disease.
Step-by-step explanation:
Leukemia: A Cancer of Bone Marrow
Leukemia is a type of blood cancer that originates in the bone marrow and leads to an excessive production of white blood cells (leukocytes). This condition disrupts the normal functioning of blood by replacing healthy cells with abnormal, cancerous ones. The overproduction can be either of mature leukocytes, as in chronic leukemia, or of immature white blood cells, as seen in acute leukemia. Symptoms of leukemia may include fatigue, frequent infections, and easy bruising or bleeding. Treatment options for leukemia are available, which can prolong life and potentially cure the disease.
While leukemia results in an abnormal increase in white blood cells, other blood disorders, like anemia, impact red blood cells or platelets leading to differing symptoms and health implications.