B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most common subtype of ALL. About 80% of people with ALL have this subtype.
B-cell ALL starts in immature blood cells that would normally develop into B cells, a type of white blood cell. B cells are part of your immune system and, among other things, make antibodies that help protect your body.
In B-cell ALL, these immature cells do not develop into normal, working blood cells. Instead, they multiply out of control.
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How B-cell ALL is Identified
Your care team will use your test results to learn more about your leukemia cells. Knowing whether you have B-cell ALL helps your care team understand your disease and plan your treatment.
Learn more about ALL testing and diagnosis.
How B-cell ALL is Treated
Treatment for B-cell ALL is different for each person and depends on several factors, although most people with ALL start with chemotherapy.
For some people with B-cell ALL, antibody-based treatments may be an option. Antibodies are a different kind of targeted therapy because they are proteins that your immune system normally makes to target a specific protein (called an antigen).
Researchers have found ways to take advantage of this by making antibodies that can attack cancer if the leukemia cells have certain antigens. One example is rituximab, which may be added to chemotherapy if your leukemia has a protein called CD20. Another targeted therapy called inotuzumab ozogamicin may be an option. It uses an antibody to deliver an anti-cancer drug to your cancerous B cells.
Learn more about ALL treatment.