How long do adults live when they have leukemia?

Only around 25 to 35 percent of adults with leukemia live for five years or longer after diagnosis, according to Drugs.com. The long-term survival of those afflicted with leukemia varies widely and depends on several factors, including age and leukemia type.

Approximately 2 percent of all cancers are leukemia, notes Drugs.com. Men are more prone to develop leukemia than women, and whites are more apt to develop it than people of other ethic groups or races. Leukemia affects adults more than children and occurs more often in the elderly than in any other age group. When children develop the disease, its onset usually occurs before age 10.