The Adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia (also called acute lymphocytic leukemia or ALL) is a disease in which there are too many white blood cells and bone marrow. White blood cells, also known as lymphocytes, are responsible for fighting infections.
Lymphocytes derived from bone marrow, the spongy tissue inside large bones of the body, and other organs of the lymphatic system. The bone marrow makes red blood cells (which carry oxygen and other materials to all tissues of the body), white blood cells (which fight infection) and platelets (which cause blood to clot).
Normally, the bone marrow makes cells called blasts, which are converted (at maturity) in several cell types that in turn have specific functions in the body. The substance that carries lymphocytes is lymph, a colorless, watery fluid found in lymphatic vessels. These, in turn, are part of the lymphatic system, which is made up of thin tubes that branch, like blood vessels to all body parts.
Along the network of vessels are groups of small organs called bean-shaped lymph nodes. Clusters of lymph nodes in the underarm, pelvis, neck and abdomen. The spleen (an organ located in the upper abdomen that produces lymphocytes and filters old blood cells from the blood), thymus (a small organ beneath the breastbone) and tonsils (located in the throat) are also part of the system node.
