Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

What are the treatments for the disease?

Treatment for ALL may include:

People are treated in a hospital at first, then later as outpatients. Treatment can go on for several months to a couple of years depending on the case. The goal of treatment is a cure, or at least remission. Remission is the disappearance of symptoms and signs of ALL. If the cancer returns, a bone marrow transplant or salvage therapy may be done. Salvage therapy is chemotherapy used to try to get a second remission or to extend life.

What are the side effects of the treatments?

Side effects of treatments can include some of the same signs and symptoms as the leukemia, such as:

When treatment involves the brain and nervous system, the following temporary side effects may occur:

Infertility and impaired memory and math and motor skills can be permanent with this type of treatment.

What happens after treatment for the disease?

People often need long-term care for complications from leukemia or its treatments. Children may have more neurological or psychological problems. Developing bones can be affected, too. Adults have fewer of these complications but have a lower rate of remission and cure.

How is the disease monitored?

People who have been treated for ALL are often monitored for several years. The healthcare provider may order regular blood tests and biopsies. Sometimes spinal taps are done. The fluid is tested for signs of cancer. Genetic testing of the bone marrow may be done, too. It may find traces of residual leukemia before other tests do. Any new or worsening symptoms should be reported to the healthcare provider.