Leukemia is a rare cancer of the blood, and one that can be very difficult to treat. The goal of leukemia cancer treatment is to destroy the leukemia cells, which swamp normal red and white blood cells, allowing instead normal cells to be formed in a patient's blood marrow. There are many different treatment options available, and the right type of treatment will depend mainly on the type of leukemia someone is diagnosed with, the stage it is in, how old they are, and what their overall health is.
Acute Leukemia Treatment:
There are many different forms of leukemia, one of which is acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Here, leukemia cancer treatment goes through three main steps:
1. Induction, where the leukemia cells found in the patient's bone marrow blood are destroyed in an effort to put them into remission. Here, patients will usually receive corticosteroids, as well as chemotherapy. Usually, this stage lasts for four weeks, and it is completed in a hospital setting. Some people with ALL, however, also have a specific gene change. This is found in people with the Philadelphia chromosome. In this case, phase 1 treatment will be down to tyrosine kinase inhibitors.
2. Consolidation, where any remaining leukemia cells, including those that may not be visible in tests, are destroyed. If new cells grow and are missed during treatment, a relapse could occur. This stage usually includes a stem cell transplant, as well as further chemotherapy. Additionally, the spinal cord and brain are often treated using chemotherapy and radiation therapy. This phase usually takes several months to complete, but no overnight stays in hospitals are required.
3. Maintenance, whereby any remaining leukemia cells are stopped from growing again. This can be achieved by continuing to provide patients with chemotherapy, albeit at a lower dosage than what it was during induction and consolidation. Usually, patients will have to take daily tablets, as well as a monthly intravenous (IV) dose of chemotherapy. This phase usually lasts for three years, and the majority of patients are able to return to a normal, active life during this time period.
If, after the three phases of leukemia cancer treatment and the patients are clear of leukemia cells for five years, they are classed as being "cured". For those who do not respond to treatment and do not go into remission, or if the patents redevelop cancer in the first few years of starting the treatment, there are a number of things that can be done as well. Usually, this includes a stronger dosage of chemotherapy and stem cell transplants. Furthermore, patients always have the option of joining a clinical trial for a specific type of treatment that may or may not be successful for them, but that will certainly enable medical professionals to determine whether or not the treatment is working. Usually, clinical trials are organized by large cancer hospitals and cancer centers, which exist all over the country. Signing up for those trials can usually be done by simply visiting the internet. Make sure you discuss this idea with your personal physician as well.