Childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL)
Each year, over 500 children and young adults under 25 years old are diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) in the UK. Children and young adults will have very similar treatment options.
Childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) at a glance
Childhood ALL is the most common type of childhood cancer. It’s a very treatable cancer in children and young adults. Treatment options are similar from one year old up to 24 years old.
Read more about childhood ALL
We don’t know exactly what causes childhood ALL, but some factors make it more likely, including:
- age
- sex
- family history
Find more about childhood ALL causes
Children and young adults with ALL may experience tiredness, breathlessness, bruise or bleed easily and get more infections.
Find more about childhood ALL symptoms
Your child will have a set of tests to confirm whether they have ALL or not. These will include blood tests, bone marrow tests and scans.
Learn more about childhood ALL tests
Childhood ALL is a very treatable cancer. Your child will follow a treatment plan involving chemotherapy drugs, steroids and other medicines. The exact treatment will depend on their individual condition, overall health and your wishes.
More information on childhood ALL treatment
Side effects are the unwanted effects of blood cancer treatment. Children have different responses to treatment and may not get every side effect. If your child has side effects, tell your healthcare team as they should be able to help.
Learn more about childhood ALL side effects
The prognosis for most children and young adults with ALL is good, with a very high chance of long-term survival.
Find out about the prognosis for childhood ALL
We have separate information for adult acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL).
Tackling childhood leukaemia is where we have some of our biggest research breakthroughs.
Information for young adults
Young adults with blood cancer share tips and advice on side effects, friendships, work, study and lots more.
