Disease Info

If you or someone you love is diagnosed with leukemia, lymphoma, an immune disease or other genetic disorder, a marrow or cord blood transplant may be a treatment option. Learn more about your disease and treatment options to make informed decisions about your care.

Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL)  
Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) is a fast-growing cancer of the white blood cells. In ALL, instead of the bone marrow making lymphocytes, white blood cells that fight infections, they make blasts, which are abnormal, underdeveloped cells that cannot fight infections. 

Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML)
Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML) is the most common type of acute leukemia. It is a fast-growing cancer of the myeloblasts, which are a type of white blood cell, and occurs mostly in older adults. In AML, the bone marrow makes unformed cells called blasts, which cannot fight infection and crowd out the normal red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets.

Adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD)  
Cerebral x-linked adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD) is an inherited metabolic storage disorder, which means there is a lack of enzymes, or proteins, in various organs. This deficiency makes it difficult for the body to break down substances. ALD is a disorder that can cause severe damage to the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) and the adrenal gland.

Aplastic Anemia 
Aplastic Anemia is a condition where the bone marrow does not make enough red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. Any cells the marrow makes are normal, but there are not enough of them. Aplastic anemia is a rare disease that can affect people of any age.  

Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL)
Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) is a cancer of the mature lymphocytes, which are a type of white blood cell. CLL often involves the lymph nodes, a part of the body that collects and destroys bacteria and viruses.

Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (CML) 
Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (CML) is a cancer characterized by a life-threatening increase in myeloid cells – a type of white blood cell – made in the bone marrow. It is associated with the presence of the Philadelphia chromosome.  Both children and adults can get CML, although it is more common in adults.

Fanconi Anemia (FA)
Fanconi anemia (FA) is a rare, inherited type of anemia that leads to bone marrow failure. Though considered primarily a blood disease, FA may affect all systems of the body. FA is also a cancer-prone disease. In the U.S., FA affects approximately 31 babies born each year.

Globoid-Cell Leukodystrophy (GLD)
Globoid-Cell Leukodystrophy, or Krabbe Disease, is a rare, inherited metabolic storage disorder of the central and peripheral nervous systems. The disease most often affects infants less than  6 months old, but can occur in adolescence or adulthood. In GLD, the muscles, vision and mental abilities are affected by substances that build up and cause damage.

Hurler's Syndrome
Hurler's Syndrome is an inherited metabolic storage disorder that can cause severe damage to the brain, heart, bones and other organs and tissues. Hurler's Syndrome occurs in about one of every 100,000 babies born.

Lymphoma 
Lymphoma is a cancer of the lymph nodes. Lymphocytes are white blood cells that fight disease and infection. In lymphoma, these cells may divide too fast or last longer than normal, and can affect the lymph nodes, spleen, bone marrow, blood or other organs. 

Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS) 
Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS) is a disease of the bone marrow. It is also called “pre-leukemia.” In MDS, the bone marrow does not make enough red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets for the body. Although MDS can affect people of any age, more than 80% of cases are in people over age 60. MDS is more common in men than in women.

Metachromatic Leukodystrophy (MLD)
Metachromatic Leukodystrophy (MLD) is an inherited metabolic storage disorder, which means there is a lack of enzymes, or proteins, in various organs. MLD affects motor skills, balance, vision and mental skills.

Multiple Myeloma 
Multiple Myeloma is a cancer of the plasma cells in the blood. It affects the bone, blood and kidneys and common symptoms are bone pain and infections. Myeloma is more common in men than women and occurs more frequently with increasing age. This disease is the second most common type of blood cancer.  

Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID) 
Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID) is a group of inherited immune system disorders, which means part of the body’s immune system is missing or does not work. Babies are born with these disorders, which can become life-threatening within the first year of life. SCID is rare. About 1 in 200,000 babies are born with SCID.

Sickle Cell Disease 
Sickle cell disease (also called sickle cell anemia or SCD) is a genetic condition caused by a change in the hemoglobin gene. Inheriting two sickle genes causes sickle cell anemia.  It is the most common genetic disease in the world. In the United States, about 1 in every 500 African Americans are born with the disease.

Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome (WAS)   
Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome (WAS) is an inherited immune system disorder. The body does not produce enough white blood cells to fight infection, which can lead to frequent infections and problems with bleeding too easily. WAS occurs only in males and appears mostly in children, but sometimes does not appear until adulthood.