This National Cancer Institute (NCI) booklet (NIH Publication No. 08-3775) is about leukemia,* cancer that starts in the tissue that forms blood. Each year in the United States, more than 40,800 adults and 3,500 children learn they have this disease.

Learning about medical care for leukemia can help you take an active part in making choices about your care. This booklet tells about:

• Diagnosis
  
  
• Treatment options
  
  
• Supportive care you may need before, during, or after treatment
  
  
• Tests the doctor may give you during follow-up visits
  
  
• Taking part in research studies

This booklet has lists of questions that you may want to ask your doctor. Many people find it helpful to take a list of questions to a doctor visit. To help remember what your doctor says, you can take notes or ask whether you may use a tape recorder. You may also want to have a family member or friend go with you when you talk with the doctor - to take notes, ask questions, or just to listen.

For the latest information about leukemia, please visit our Web site at http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/types/leukemia. We have materials on adult and childhood leukemia. Or, contact our Cancer Information Service. We can answer your questions about cancer. We can also send you NCI booklets and fact sheets. Call 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237) or instant message us through the LiveHelp service at http://www.cancer.gov/help.

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