Treatment of Acute lymphocytic leukemia

In general, treatment for acute lymphocytic leukemia falls into separate phases:

• Induction therapy. the aim of the primary part of treatment is to kill most of the leukemia cells within the blood and bone marrow. 
• Consolidation therapy. additionally referred to as post-remission therapy, this part of treatment is aimed toward destroying the leukemia cells remaining within the brain or spinal wire.
• Maintenance therapy. The third part of treatment prevents leukemia cells from regrowing. The treatments utilized in this stage are typically given at a lot of lower doses.
• Preventive treatment to the spinal cord. individuals with acute lymphocytic leukemia can also receive treatment to kill leukemia cells located within the central nervous system throughout every part of therapy. during this variety of treatment, chemotherapy medicine are injected directly into the fluid that covers the spinal wire. This kills cancer cells that cannot be reached by chemotherapy medicine given by mouth or through an intravenous line.

Depending on your scenario, the phases of treatment for acute lymphocytic leukemia will span a pair of 1/2 to three 1/2 years.

 

Treatments may include:

• Chemotherapy. Chemotherapy, that uses medicine to kill cancer cells, is often used as an induction therapy for kids and adults with acute lymphocytic leukemia. Chemotherapy medicine may be utilized in the consolidation and maintenance phases.
• Targeted drug therapy. Targeted medicine attack specific abnormalities gift in cancer cells that facilitate them grow and thrive. One targeted drug, imatinib (Gleevec), specifically attacks cancer cells that have an exact abnormality referred to as the Philadelphia chromosome. The drug dasatinib (Sprycel) works in a very similar means. These medicine are approved just for individuals with the Philadelphia chromosome-positive variety of ALL.
• Radiation therapy. Radiation therapy uses high-powered beams, like X-rays, to kill cancer cells. If the cancer cells have unfold to the central nervous system, your doctor might advocate radiation therapy. 
• Stem cell transplant. A stem cell transplant is also used as consolidation therapy in individuals at high risk of relapse or for treating relapse when it happens. This procedure permits somebody with leukemia to re-establish healthy stem cells by replacing leukemic bone marrow with leukemia-free marrow.

A stem cell transplant begins with high doses of chemotherapy or radiation to destroy any leukemia-producing bone marrow. The marrow is then replaced by bone marrow from a compatible donor (allogeneic transplant). In some cases, adults with ALL are able to use their own bone marrow for transplantation (autologous transplant). this might be potential if you go into remission and healthy bone marrow is then harvested for a future transplant.

• Clinical trials. Clinical trials are experiments to check new cancer treatments and new ways that of using existing treatments. whereas clinical trials provide you with or your kid an opportunity to do the newest cancer treatment, treatment advantages are still being evaluated. Discuss the advantages and risks of clinical trials along with your doctor.

ALL in older adults
Older adults, like those older than sixty five, tend to expertise a lot of complications from ALL treatments. And older adults usually have a worse prognosis than kids who are treated for ALL. Discuss your choices along with your doctor. primarily based on your overall health and your goals and preferences, you will arrange to endure treatment for your ALL. Some individuals might value more highly to forego treatment for the cancer, instead specializing in treatments that improve their symptoms and facilitate them build the foremost of the time they need remaining.