Anpheros Search · Condition

Lymphoid leukaemia, not elsewhere classified

General information only. Anpheros does not diagnose and does not recommend treatment. Talk to a doctor or pharmacist about your situation. In an emergency, call 112 (or your local emergency number).

In short

Leukemia is a term for cancers of the blood cells that start in blood-forming tissues such as the bone marrow, where the marrow makes large numbers of abnormal cells that crowd out healthy blood cells. In acute lymphocytic leukemia, also known as ALL or acute lymphoblastic leukemia, the bone marrow makes too many abnormal lymphocytes that cannot fight infection well and can spread to other parts of the body, including the brain and spinal cord. Risk factors for acute lymphocytic leukemia include being male, being white, being over age 70, having certain genetic disorders, or having had exposure to high levels of radiation, chemotherapy, or radiation therapy. Signs and symptoms of this condition include weakness, fever, night sweats, easy bruising or bleeding, petechiae, shortness of breath, weight loss, bone or stomach pain, and swollen lymph nodes.

Source: MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine.

AI-generated summary of the sources cited on this page, checked automatically against them. Not reviewed by a clinician; not medical advice.

Codes

ICD-10: C91
ICD-11: 2B33.3 Lymphoid leukaemia, not elsewhere classified

Description

What is leukemia?
Leukemia is a term for cancers of the blood cells. Leukemia starts in blood-forming tissues such as the bone marrow. Your bone marrow makes the cells which will develop into white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets. Each type of cell has a different job:
White blood cells help your body fight infection
Red blood cells deliver oxygen from your lungs to your tissues and organs
Platelets help form clots to stop bleeding
When you have leukemia, your bone marrow makes large numbers of abnormal cells. This problem most often happens with white blood cells. These abnormal cells build up in your bone marrow and blood. They crowd out the healthy blood cells and make it hard for your cells and blood to do their work.
What is acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL)?
Acute lymphocytic leukemia is a type of acute leukemia. It's also called ALL and acute lymphoblastic leukemia. "Acute" means that it usually gets worse quickly if it's not treated. ALL is the most common type of cancer in children. It can also affect adults.
In ALL, the bone marrow makes too many lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell. These cells normally help your body fight infection. But in ALL, they are abnormal and cannot fight infection very well. They also crowd out the healthy cells, which can lead to infection, anemia, and easy bleeding. These abnormal cells can also spread to other parts of the body, including the brain and spinal cord.
What causes acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL)?
ALL happens when there are changes in the genetic material (DNA) in bone marrow cells. The cause of these genetic changes is unknown. However, there are certain factors that raise your risk of ALL.
Who is at risk for acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL)?
The factors that raise your risk of ALL include:
Being male
Being white
Being over age 70
Having had chemotherapy or radiation therapy
Having been exposed to high levels of radiation
Having certain genetic disorders, such as Down syndrome
What are the symptoms of acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL)?
The signs and symptoms of ALL include:
Weakness or feeling tired
Fever or night sweats
Easy bruising or bleeding
Petechiae, which are tiny red dots under the skin. They are caused by bleeding.
Shortness of breath
Weight loss or loss of appetite
Pain in the bones or stomach
Pain or feeling of fullness below the ribs
Swollen lymph nodes - you may notice them as painless lumps in the neck, underarm, stomach, or groin
Having had many infections
How is acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) diagnosed?
Your health care provider may use many tools to diagnose ALL and figure out which subtype you have:
A physical exam
A medical history
Blood tests, such as
Complete blood count (CBC) with differential
Blood chemistry tests such as a basic metabolic panel (BMP), comprehensive metabolic panel (CMP), kidney function tests, liver function tests, and electrolyte panel
Blood smear
Bone marrow tests. There are two main types - bone marrow aspiration and bone marrow biopsy. Both tests involve removing a sample of bone marrow and bone. The samples are sent to a lab for testing.
Genetic tests to look for gene and chromosome changes
If you are diagnosed with ALL, you may have additional tests to see whether the cancer has spread. These include imaging tests and a lumbar puncture, which is a procedure to collect and test cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).
What are the treatments for acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL)?
Treatments for ALL include:
Chemotherapy
Radiation therapy
Chemotherapy with stem cell transplant
Targeted therapy, which uses drugs or other substances that attack specific cancer cells with less harm to normal cells
Treatment is usually done in two phases:
The goal of the first phase is to kill the leukemia cells in the blood and bone marrow. This treatment puts the leukemia into remission. Remission means that the signs and symptoms of cancer are reduced or have disappeared.
The second phase is known as post-remission therapy. Its goal is to prevent a relapse (return) of the cancer. It involves killing any remaining leukemia cells that may not be active but could begin to regrow.
Treatment during both phases also usually includes central nervous system (CNS) prophylaxis therapy. This therapy helps prevent the spread of leukemia cells to the brain and spinal cord. It may be high dose chemotherapy or chemotherapy injected into the spinal cord. It also sometimes includes radiation therapy.
NIH: National Cancer Institute

Source: MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine.

Related terms in the cited sources

Medicines with an official indication for this condition

Mercaptopurine Treatment
Ponatinib Treatment

In alphabetical order.

Next to it in ICD-10

Neighbouring codes in the classification, not a medical link.

External resources

Questions

What is the ICD-10 code for Lymphoid leukaemia, not elsewhere classified?

C91 (WHO, International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision).

What is the ICD-11 code for Lymphoid leukaemia, not elsewhere classified?

2B33.3: Lymphoid leukaemia, not elsewhere classified (WHO, ICD-11 for Mortality and Morbidity Statistics).

Sources and attribution

Names other than the official source titles: Anpheros translations and plain-language names, made with AI assistance and checked automatically; the source names are in English.
Source: MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine.
ICD-10 codes and titles © World Health Organization. Source: WHO, International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision (2019).

Anpheros Search catalog 2026.10.5, published 17 October 2026. About the data →

About this page. This page brings together public information from official sources, each cited where it is used. It is not medical advice, it is not a diagnosis, and it does not tell you which treatment to take.

Treatments. Indications are quoted unchanged from official product information (European Medicines Agency, U.S. Food and Drug Administration). They describe what a medicine is approved for, not whether it is right for you. Approved uses can differ between countries. Always read the package leaflet and follow your doctor's or pharmacist's advice.

What people report. Figures marked "reported by Anpheros users" are anonymous counts from at least 20 people who agreed to share them. They show what people report, not what works, and they are not clinical evidence.

Links between terms. "May be associated with" means the link appears in a cited source. It does not mean you have that condition.

In an emergency, call 112 (or your local emergency number). Do not delay seeking medical help because of something you read here.