Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

What can be done to prevent the disease?

In most cases, ALL cannot be prevented. People can avoid exposure to toxins, such as:

Radiation from highly radioactive compounds is clearly dangerous. This does not involve household appliances. A person who has had chemotherapy or radiation is at risk for ALL. He or she should be monitored for life.

Occasionally, family clusters of acute leukemia occur. Genetic counseling may be helpful in this situation. Whether or not nutrition and generally avoiding infections are of benefit in preventing ALL is actively being researched.

What are the long-term effects of the disease?

Some people live an entirely normal, healthy life after ALL has been treated and cured. However, ALL can be lethal even with good treatment. People who survive often have many chronic health problems. Any organ, including the brain, can be damaged before treatment starts. The treatments can have serious permanent side effects, too.

What are the risks to others?

It is not clear if a leukemia virus might spread ALL. It is an uncommon cancer, and any risk of it spreading from one person to another is very low. However, a person with ALL might have an unusual or aggressive infection that could possibly spread to others. This is more likely to happen when AIDS or another disorder weakens a person's immune system.