Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSymptomsCausesDiagnosisTreatmentPrevention
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Symptoms
Causes
Diagnosis
Treatment
Prevention
CLL is the most common form of leukemia cancer affecting adults. ALL primarily affects children, although it can occur in adults. Learn more about the differences between ALL and CLL, including symptoms, causes, diagnosis, and treatment.
Verywell / Laura Porter
Bothacute lymphocytic leukemiaand chronic lymphocytic leukemiaproduce similar symptoms, including:
Children with ALL may appear pale and experience abnormal shortness of breath when playing. Additionally, ALL can also cause pain in the joints or bones.
It can be challenging to distinguish between the two cancers. However, the person’s age can provide an important clue. ALL is more common in children, and CLL is more common in adults.In fact, CLL rarely affects people under the age of 30.
A critical difference between ALL and CLL is that ALL is an acute form of leukemia. This means that it progresses much more rapidly than CLL.Also, in the majority of the cases, immature white cells (blasts) are seen on theperipheral blood smear testof patients with ALL but not on the peripheral smear of patients with CLL.
ALL and CLL are very similar since they both start in the lymphocytes of the bone marrow. In most cases, these types of cancer stem from acquired mutations (changes in the genetic code that happen after conception). However, they do have slightly different risk factors.
Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia
Experts don’t quite know exactly what causes ALL. However, some potential risk factors include:
According to the American Cancer Society,exposure to electromagnetic fields, smoking, and certain chemicals have not been proven as risk factors for ALL, although research continues.
Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia
Experts also aren’t sure what exactly causes CLL, butsome risk factorsmay include:
Both ALL and CLL are typically suspected after abnormal blood test results.Additional testing may include:
How Leukemia Is Diagnosed
ALL Testing
Doctors may check for the following in lab samples when looking for ALL:
CLL Testing
Doctors may check for the following in lab samples when looking for CLL:
Treatment for ALL and CLL share some similarities. However, because they may affect different age groups, these cancers require different treatment approaches.
ALL Treatment
The treatment approach for ALL depends on a person’s risk group. Very high-risk individuals usually receive more aggressive treatment.
Treatment for ALL involves multiple phases:
Standard therapies for ALL include:
CLL Treatment
Treatment for CLL also depends on the cancer stage and whether the person has any other conditions. In some cases, doctors will recommend a wait-and-see approach since CLL is a slow-growing cancer.
Standard treatment options for CLL may include:
Doctors may also recommend stem cell (bone marrow) transplants in younger people.
There is no known way to prevent either ALL or CLL. Likewise, there’s no way to change your lifestyle to prevent either of these cancers. Avoiding certain chemicals may lower your risk, but chemical exposure isn’t a risk factor in all CLL or ALL cases.
Summary
ALL and CLL are both cancers that affect the bone marrow and blood. ALL is an acute form of leukemia that progresses rapidly, while CLL is slow-growing. Doctors treat ALL more aggressively than CLL because it spreads more rapidly. In some cases, they may opt for a wait-and-see approach with CLL.
A Word From Verywell
Whether you have ALL or CLL, getting a cancer diagnosis can feel overwhelming. However, knowing what you’re up against can help you be better prepared for treatment, which may improve your outcomes in the long term. Also, seek support from friends and family or resources such as support groups.
15 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Cancer Society.Signs and symptoms of acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL).American Cancer Society.Signs and symptoms of chronic lymphocytic leukemia.KidsHealth.Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).MedlinePlus.Chronic lymphocytic leukemia.National Organization for Rare Disorders.Chronic lymphocytic leukemia.Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.Acute lymphoblastic leukemia.American Cancer Society.Risk factors for acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL).Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.Chronic lymphocytic leukemia.American Cancer Society.What are the risk factors for chronic lymphocytic leukemia?National Cancer Institute.Childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia treatment (PDQ)-patient version.National Cancer Institute.Chronic lymphocytic leukemia treatment (PDQ)-patient version.American Cancer Society.Tests for acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL).American Cancer Society.Tests for chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center.Chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
15 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Cancer Society.Signs and symptoms of acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL).American Cancer Society.Signs and symptoms of chronic lymphocytic leukemia.KidsHealth.Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).MedlinePlus.Chronic lymphocytic leukemia.National Organization for Rare Disorders.Chronic lymphocytic leukemia.Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.Acute lymphoblastic leukemia.American Cancer Society.Risk factors for acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL).Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.Chronic lymphocytic leukemia.American Cancer Society.What are the risk factors for chronic lymphocytic leukemia?National Cancer Institute.Childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia treatment (PDQ)-patient version.National Cancer Institute.Chronic lymphocytic leukemia treatment (PDQ)-patient version.American Cancer Society.Tests for acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL).American Cancer Society.Tests for chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center.Chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
American Cancer Society.Signs and symptoms of acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL).American Cancer Society.Signs and symptoms of chronic lymphocytic leukemia.KidsHealth.Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).MedlinePlus.Chronic lymphocytic leukemia.National Organization for Rare Disorders.Chronic lymphocytic leukemia.Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.Acute lymphoblastic leukemia.American Cancer Society.Risk factors for acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL).Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.Chronic lymphocytic leukemia.American Cancer Society.What are the risk factors for chronic lymphocytic leukemia?National Cancer Institute.Childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia treatment (PDQ)-patient version.National Cancer Institute.Chronic lymphocytic leukemia treatment (PDQ)-patient version.American Cancer Society.Tests for acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL).American Cancer Society.Tests for chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center.Chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
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American Cancer Society.Signs and symptoms of chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
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Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).
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American Cancer Society.Risk factors for acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL).
Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.Chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
American Cancer Society.What are the risk factors for chronic lymphocytic leukemia?
National Cancer Institute.Childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia treatment (PDQ)-patient version.
National Cancer Institute.Chronic lymphocytic leukemia treatment (PDQ)-patient version.
American Cancer Society.Tests for acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL).
American Cancer Society.Tests for chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).
Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center.Chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
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