When a child has leukemia, the bone marrow produces white blood cells that do not mature correctly.

[4][5] Common childhood leukemia signs and symptoms include excessive tiredness, easy bruising or bleeding, bone pain and paleness.

Acute leukemias typically develop and worsen quickly (over periods of days to weeks).

[7][2] ALL is a form of leukemia that affects lymphocytes, a type of white blood cells which fights infection.

When a patient has ALL, the bone marrow makes too many immature white blood cells and they do not mature correctly.

A specific chromosome translocation (a type of genetic change) is found in patients with APL.

The rearrangement of the chromosomes changes the positions and functions of certain genes, which causes uncontrolled cell growth.

In JMML, the myelomonocytic cells produced by the bone marrow and invade the spleen, lungs, and intestines.

[10] One hypothesis is that childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is caused by a two-step process, starting with a prenatal genetic mutation and then exposure to infections[11] While this theory is possible, there is not enough evidence in patients currently to either support or refute the relationship between infection and developing ALL[12] There is evidence linking maternal alcohol consumption to AML development in children.

[14] High levels of coffee consumption during pregnancy (2-3 cups/day or greater) have been linked to childhood leukemia as well.

[15] It has also been suggested that allergies are linked to the development of childhood leukemia but this is not supported by current evidence.

[3][5][4] Chemotherapy is a treatment that uses chemicals to interfere with the cancer cells ability to grow and reproduce.

[4][5] Immunotherapy is a type of therapy that uses the child's own immune system to fight the cancer.

This will depend on the extent of ALL, the characteristics of the ALL and if it has recurred (come back after initial treatment).

There is no Maintenance phase of therapy in AML as it was not shown to lower chances of the cancer coming back.

[4][24][25][26] The APL type of AML is also treated with all-trans retinoic acid or arsenic trioxide therapy in addition to what is listed above.

In addition, there are certain characteristics of the patients and cancers that help doctors predict the prognosis (and determine treatment).

[28] The 5-year survival rate for children and adolescents under the age of 15 years diagnosed with ALL was 91.8% in the USA between 2007 and 2013.

[29] Prognostic factors in ALL: The survival rate for children under the age of 15 years with AML was 66.4% in the USA between 2007 and 2013.

[29] Prognostic factors for AML: As treatments for childhood leukemias have gotten better, there are more children surviving and living into adulthood.

[30] The older aggressive treatment regimens with cranial irradiation and higher doses of anthracyclines (such as doxorubicin) caused increased risk of solid tumors, heart failure, growth retardation, and cognitive defects.

[31] In types of childhood leukemias with good cure rates (mainly ALL), efforts are continually made to decrease the amount of toxicity caused by chemotherapy and other treatments.

[3][38] AML is the second most common type of childhood leukemia, making up most of the remaining diagnoses.

Other factors that may be linked to development of childhood leukemia include: family history of blood cancers, maternal alcohol use, parental cigarette use, prior loss of pregnancy in the mother, older age of the mother, high birth weight, low birth weight, exposure to benzene, exposure to pesticides, and infections.