What is a "de novo" leukemia?

What is a "de novo" leukemia?

Noam Z. Drazin (Hematologist & Oncologist, Cedars-Sinai Medical Group) gives expert video advice on: What is "leukemia"? and more...

A de novo leukaemia is a leukaemia in which the mutation or defect that arises in the bone marrow that leads to leukaemia is something out of the blue, or idiopathic. It has nothing to do with a prior treatment. It has nothing to do with a prior disease that preceded the diagnosis of leukaemia. Most leukaemias are of the de novo type, as opposed to secondary leukaemia.