Disorders that affect the white blood cells are a broad group. They include cancerous, precancerous, and noncancerous (benign) conditions that may impact the functioning or levels of the body’s white blood cells.
White blood cells are also called leukocytes. Several types work to protect the body from disease. Disorders of these blood cells, especially cancerous ones, can be deadly.
The most common cancerous conditions are lymphomas, leukemias, and myelomas. This article will cover these and other primary disorders of white blood cells.Leukocytosis(an elevated number of white blood cells) secondary to infection or inflammation is the most common condition affecting white blood cells.
This article will highlight important facts and statistics you should know about cancerous, precancerous, and functional white blood cell disorders.
alvarez / Getty Images
White Blood Cell Disorders Overview
White blood cell disorders include conditions that are cancerous, precancerous, and noncancerous. Changes to the white blood cell levels are also often a sign of another type of condition, including an infection or other problems in the body.
There are many kinds of white blood cells, and they all play different roles in the immune system. The generic name for a white blood cell is a leukocyte. They develop from special cells in the bone marrow calledhematopoietic stem cells, which can become any type of blood cell.
The four main types of cancerous, precancerous, and functional disorders that develop in white blood cells and are reviewed here are:
How Common Are White Blood Cell Disorders?
As a whole, white blood cell disorders are pretty common. According to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, one person is diagnosed with leukemia, lymphoma, or myeloma about every three minutes.
Estimates for 2021 were that 186,400 people in the United States would be diagnosed with one of these three white blood cell cancers. Together they make up almost 10% of new cancer cases each year.
More than 1.5 million people are living with or in remission from one of these white blood cell disorders in the United States. Someone dies from leukemia, lymphoma, or myeloma every nine minutes—158 people a day or more than six people an hour.
Leukemias
Leukemiais a blood cancer that starts in the bone marrow when hematopoietic stem cells undergo a genetic mutation that allows them to grow out of control.
These out-of-control cells make abnormal white blood cells that don’t work right and don’t die when they usually would. These damaged cells can interfere with the functioning of other healthy cells.
There are four main types of leukemias based on the kinds of white blood cells affected and how aggressive the cancer is. Acute cancers progress faster and chronic ones progress slower.Myeloidandlymphoidcells are two types of stem cells in the bone marrow that give rise to different kinds of white blood cells.
These four types comprise 92% of all leukemias reported to the National Cancer Institute’s (NCI) Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program database. Other, rare types of leukemia make up the rest and include:
Fast facts on leukemias as a whole include:
Lymphomas
Lymphomasare cancers of thelymphatic system. The lymphatic system covers the entire body, moving fluid and immune system cells around the body.Lymphomas are generally classified into B-cell or T-cell cancers, although there are some that fall into the non-B-cell and non-T cell categories.
The lymphatic system consists of vessels transporting the lymph and lumps of tissue (lymph nodes, adenoids, and tonsils) and organs (the spleen, thymus gland, and bone marrow).
Lymphomas start when white blood cells undergo genetic mutations that make them grow out of control. These cancerous cells clump together in the tissues or organs of the lymphatic system or the skin, forming solid tumors.
There are two main lymphoma types–Hodgkin’sand non–Hodgkin’s.Non-Hodgkin’s lymphomais about 10 times more common than Hodgkin’s.Non-Hodgkin’s facts include:
Myelomas
Myelomasare blood cancers that develop from plasma cells. Plasma cells live in the bone marrow, each making a specific antibody. Antibodies are particular proteins that help the body recognize and fight off germs.
On the road to becoming a normal plasma cell, a genetic change may happen that forms instead a malignant clonal cell that can produce malignant plasma cells. These malignant plasma cells may form a tumor that damages the bone.
These abnormal multiple myeloma cells produce excess amounts of a monoclonal antibody called M-protein. This protein can clump up and damage other body parts, including the kidneys.
Myeloma can be slow-growing and is sometimes found on routine blood testing before symptoms appear. Sometimes multiple myeloma is caught early on its course, is not considered active, and is asymptomatic. While one bone lesion may be identified, it is common for multiple bone lesions to be identified. This is why it is called multiple myeloma.
The NCI SEER database tracks myeloma cases as follows:
Other White Blood Cell Disorders
In addition to white blood cell cancers, many less common white blood cell disorders exist. Some of these are cancers and precancerous conditions; others are genetic diseases. Most are relatively uncommon.
Myelodysplastic syndromes:Cancers develop when bone marrow stem cells are abnormal and can’t make enough white blood cells. Some patients go on to develop AML.Myelodysplastic syndromes facts include:
Myeloproliferative neoplasms: Cancers develop when the bone marrow stem cells are abnormal and make too many white blood cells. These cells are usually irregular. These are also often called chronic leukemias.Myeloproliferative neoplasm statistics include:
Plasma cell disorders: These precancerous white blood cell conditions may form before myeloma. These includemonoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance(MGUS) and light chain amyloidosis.
Primary immune deficiency diseases: These are noncancerous disorders of the white blood cells due to genetic differences that affect the development of leukocytes. There are over 200 of these rare primary immune deficiency diseases.
In addition to these rare specific disorders of the white blood cells, many conditions can change the number of white blood cells in the blood. The two main changesin white blood cellsthat a healthcare provider might find are:
These aren’t conditions themselves but signals to a healthcare provider that something is happening in the body.
Because white blood cell disorders cover a wide variety of diseases, it’s difficult to generalize these as a group. Cancers of the white blood cells, including leukemia,non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma,and myeloma,seem more common in men than in women.
Many of the cancers of the white blood cells are also more common in older people, though ALL is more common in childhood.
What Are the Mortality Rates for White Blood Cell Disorders?
The survival rates for various blood cancers and white blood cell disorders vary, but many are hopeful. Generally, the earlier a white blood cell disorder is found, the better your chance of survival. Five-year survival rates can drop quickly once cancer becomes aggressive.
Survival Rates
Survival rates are not a prognosis (estimate of recovery) for an individual. Prognosis instead will depend on the characteristics of the person’s cancer, how it responds to treatment, the stage at which it is diagnosed, and the person’s overall health.
Summary
White blood cell disorders include conditions that are cancerous, precancerous, and noncancerous. The most common white blood cell disorders are cancers: leukemias, lymphomas, and myelomas. Other white blood cell disorders include myelodysplastic syndromes, myeloproliferative neoplasms, plasma cell disorders, and primary immune deficiency.
These diseases are all related to the white blood cells in the bone marrow or the lymphatic system. The white blood cells play an essential role in fighting off germs. These diseases have varying survival rates and are typically more common in men and older people.
Frequently Asked QuestionsNo. Most people who get leukemia are older. A type of leukemia called acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) is more common in kids.Learn MoreLeukemia Causes and Risk Factors
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Most people who get leukemia are older. A type of leukemia called acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) is more common in kids.Learn MoreLeukemia Causes and Risk Factors
No. Most people who get leukemia are older. A type of leukemia called acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) is more common in kids.
Learn MoreLeukemia Causes and Risk Factors
16 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.Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.Facts and statistics overview.National Cancer Institute.Definition of white blood cell.National Cancer Institute.Cancer stat facts: leukemia.National Cancer Institute.Acute lymphocytic leukemia — cancer stat facts.National Cancer Institute.Acute myeloid leukemia — cancer stat facts.National Cancer Institute.Chronic lymphocytic leukemia — cancer stat facts.National Cancer Institute.Chronic myeloid leukemia — cancer stat facts.National Cancer Institute.SEER training: introduction to the lymphatic system.American Cancer Society.What is non-Hodgkin lymphoma?National Cancer Institute.Definition of solid tumor.National Cancer Institute.Cancer stat facts: non-Hodgkin lymphoma.American Cancer Society.What is multiple myeloma?National Cancer Institute.Cancer stat facts: myeloma.American Cancer Society.What are myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS)?National Institutes of Health.Chronic myeloproliferative neoplasms treatment (PDQ®)–patient version.National Institutes of Health.Types of primary immune deficiency diseases.
16 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.Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.Facts and statistics overview.National Cancer Institute.Definition of white blood cell.National Cancer Institute.Cancer stat facts: leukemia.National Cancer Institute.Acute lymphocytic leukemia — cancer stat facts.National Cancer Institute.Acute myeloid leukemia — cancer stat facts.National Cancer Institute.Chronic lymphocytic leukemia — cancer stat facts.National Cancer Institute.Chronic myeloid leukemia — cancer stat facts.National Cancer Institute.SEER training: introduction to the lymphatic system.American Cancer Society.What is non-Hodgkin lymphoma?National Cancer Institute.Definition of solid tumor.National Cancer Institute.Cancer stat facts: non-Hodgkin lymphoma.American Cancer Society.What is multiple myeloma?National Cancer Institute.Cancer stat facts: myeloma.American Cancer Society.What are myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS)?National Institutes of Health.Chronic myeloproliferative neoplasms treatment (PDQ®)–patient version.National Institutes of Health.Types of primary immune deficiency diseases.
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.
Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.Facts and statistics overview.National Cancer Institute.Definition of white blood cell.National Cancer Institute.Cancer stat facts: leukemia.National Cancer Institute.Acute lymphocytic leukemia — cancer stat facts.National Cancer Institute.Acute myeloid leukemia — cancer stat facts.National Cancer Institute.Chronic lymphocytic leukemia — cancer stat facts.National Cancer Institute.Chronic myeloid leukemia — cancer stat facts.National Cancer Institute.SEER training: introduction to the lymphatic system.American Cancer Society.What is non-Hodgkin lymphoma?National Cancer Institute.Definition of solid tumor.National Cancer Institute.Cancer stat facts: non-Hodgkin lymphoma.American Cancer Society.What is multiple myeloma?National Cancer Institute.Cancer stat facts: myeloma.American Cancer Society.What are myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS)?National Institutes of Health.Chronic myeloproliferative neoplasms treatment (PDQ®)–patient version.National Institutes of Health.Types of primary immune deficiency diseases.
Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.Facts and statistics overview.
National Cancer Institute.Definition of white blood cell.
National Cancer Institute.Cancer stat facts: leukemia.
National Cancer Institute.Acute lymphocytic leukemia — cancer stat facts.
National Cancer Institute.Acute myeloid leukemia — cancer stat facts.
National Cancer Institute.Chronic lymphocytic leukemia — cancer stat facts.
National Cancer Institute.Chronic myeloid leukemia — cancer stat facts.
National Cancer Institute.SEER training: introduction to the lymphatic system.
American Cancer Society.What is non-Hodgkin lymphoma?
National Cancer Institute.Definition of solid tumor.
National Cancer Institute.Cancer stat facts: non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
American Cancer Society.What is multiple myeloma?
National Cancer Institute.Cancer stat facts: myeloma.
American Cancer Society.What are myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS)?
National Institutes of Health.Chronic myeloproliferative neoplasms treatment (PDQ®)–patient version.
National Institutes of Health.Types of primary immune deficiency diseases.
Meet Our Medical Expert Board
Share Feedback
Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
What is your feedback?
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.Cookies SettingsAccept All Cookies
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies SettingsAccept All Cookies
