MedGen

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), also known as acute lymphocytic leukemia, is a subtype of acute leukemia, a cancer of the white blood cells. Somatically acquired mutations in several genes have been identified in ALL lymphoblasts, cells in the early stages of differentiation. Germline variation in certain genes may also predispose to susceptibility to ALL (Trevino et al., 2009). Genetic Heterogeneity of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia A susceptibility locus for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL1) has been mapped to chromosome 10q21. See also ALL2 (613067), which has been mapped to chromosome 7p12.2; and ALL3 (615545), which is caused by mutation in the PAX5 gene (167414) on chromosome 9p. [from OMIM]

A neoplasm characterized by abnormalities of the lymphoid cell precursors leading to excessive lymphoblasts in the marrow and other organs. It is the most common cancer in children and accounts for the vast majority of all childhood leukemias. [from MeSH]

A malignant lymphocytic neoplasm of B-cell or T-cell lineage involving primarily the bone marrow and the peripheral blood. This category includes precursor or acute lymphoblastic leukemias and chronic leukemias. [from HPO]