Acute leukemia is a malignant proliferative disease that originates from blood producing tissues in the body. It is characterized by symptoms that include anemia, bleeding, fever and infiltration symptoms such as enlargement of the spleen liver and lymph nodes.

Acute leukemia, also referred to by its common subtypes of acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) or acute myelogenous leukemia (AML), is a modern medical term that cannot be found in the ancient Chinese medical classics. However, its symptoms are similar to some TCM diseases. Acute leukemia symptoms fall under Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) disease categories of "pulmonary tuberculosis", "hectic fever due to yin-deficiency", "acute febrile diseases due to insidious pathogens ", "blood disorders", "saber", "subcutaneous nodules" and " abdominal masses".

Pulmonary Tuberculosis: This disease causes the same kind of fever and anemia symptoms as in acute leukemia, and is mentioned in the famous medical classic "Sheng Ji Zong Lu" written in 1118 A.D. The title means a collection of medical records. 

Hectic fever due to Yin-deficiency: This is a low-grade fever similar to those experienced in leukemia. It results from a yin deficiency and is mentioned in the medical classic "Treatise on the Causes and Symptoms of Diseases" written in 610 A.D. 

Acute febrile diseases due to insidious pathogens: These diseases cause similar high fever symptoms as in acute leukemia associated infections. 

Blood disorders: These conditions produce the same bleeding symptoms such as nose bleeds, gum bleeding and blood in the stool. 

Saber: Named after its shape, this is the inflammation of the axillary (armpit) and neck lymph nodes caused by tuberculosis bacteria. 

Subcutaneous nodules or abdominal masses: This TCM condition presents as infiltration symptoms such as enlargement of the lymph nodes, liver and spleen.