What are the Treatments for Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL)?
What are the treatments for acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL)?
Treatments for ALL include:
- Chemotherapy
- Radiation therapy
- Chemotherapy with stem cell transplant
- Targeted therapy, which uses drugs or other substances that attack specific cancer cells with less harm to normal cells
Treatment is usually done in two phases:
- The goal of the first phase is to kill the leukemia cells in the blood and bone marrow. This treatment puts the leukemia into remission. Remission means that the signs and symptoms of cancer are reduced or have disappeared.
- The second phase is known as post-remission therapy. Its goal is to prevent a relapse (return) of the cancer. It involves killing any remaining leukemia cells that may not be active but could begin to regrow.
Treatment during both phases also usually includes central nervous system (CNS) prophylaxis therapy. This therapy helps prevent the spread of leukemia cells to the brain and spinal cord. It may be high dose chemotherapy or chemotherapy injected into the spinal cord. It also sometimes includes radiation therapy.
NIH: National Cancer Institute
-
Category
No comments found