How is childhood leukemia treated in children?
The treatment of childhood ALL is done in phases: Remission induction: This is the first phase of treatment. The goal is to kill the leukemia cells in the blood and bone marrow. This puts the leukemia into remission.
What is the life expectancy of a child with leukemia?
According to the NCI, adolescents 15 to 19 years old have an average 5-year survival rate of at least 75 percent. The survival rate for AML in the same age group is 57 percent. What are the risk factors for childhood leukemia?
Should patients with childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia take part in clinical trials?
Treatment for childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia may cause side effects. Patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial. Patients can enter clinical trials before, during, or after starting their cancer treatment.
What are the prognosis and treatment options for childhood acute myeloid leukemia (AML)?
The prognosis and treatment options for childhood acute myeloid leukemia (AML) depend on the following: The age of the child when the cancer is diagnosed. The race or ethnic group of the child. Whether the child is greatly overweight. Number of white blood cells in the blood at diagnosis. Whether the AML occurred after previous cancer treatment.
How long does chemo last for childhood leukemia?
Chemotherapy for Childhood Acute Myeloid Leukemia Usually completed in five to six months, the treatment is determined by the subtype of acute myeloid leukemia, the presence of certain genetic abnormalities, and the response of leukemia cells to treatment.
How long does treatment for leukemia last?
The total treatment usually takes about 2 years, with the maintenance phase taking up most of this time. Treatment may be more or less intense, depending on the subtype of ALL and other prognostic factors.
How long is chemotherapy for leukemia?
Chemo treatment for ALL is typically divided into 3 phases: Induction, which is short and intensive, usually lasts about a month. Consolidation (intensification), which is also intensive, typically lasts for a few months. Maintenance (post-consolidation), which is less intensive, typically lasts for about 2 years.
How do they treat leukemia in kids?
The main treatment for most childhood leukemias is chemotherapy. For some children with higher risk leukemias, high-dose chemotherapy may be given along with a stem cell transplant. Other treatments might also be used in special circumstances.
Is leukemia curable in child?
With the proper treatment, the outlook for kids and teens with leukemia is quite good. Most childhood leukemias have very high remission rates, with some up to 90%. Remission means that doctors see no cancer cells in the body. Most kids are cured of the disease.
How long do you stay in the hospital for leukemia?
Patients will often need to stay in the hospital for 3 to 4 weeks during treatment. However, depending on the situation, many patients can leave the hospital.
How many chemo sessions are needed for leukemia?
The treatment usually consists of four cycles of intensive chemotherapy that includes high doses of cytarabine and one or more other drugs.
Why is leukemia treatment so long?
Although there may not be detectable leukemia cells in your child's blood or bone marrow at the end of induction, there still might be some leukemia cells that doctors cannot detect. This is why the treatment continues. The consolidation phase lasts for 4 to 8 weeks, depending on the ALL risk type and protocol.
How many rounds of chemo is normal?
During a course of treatment, you usually have around 4 to 8 cycles of treatment. A cycle is the time between one round of treatment until the start of the next. After each round of treatment you have a break, to allow your body to recover.
Can leukemia be cured if caught early?
Leukemia is the cancer of the blood-forming tissues that includes bone marrow and lymphatic system. Adults and children are equally affected by Leukemia, which is seen as production of abnormal white blood cells by the bone marrow.
What is the survival rate for childhood leukemia?
According to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS), the average 5-year survival rate for ALL, the most common type of leukemia in children, is 94.4 percent for those under age 5. There's a slight drop to 92.5 percent for older children under age 15.
What is the most common age for childhood leukemia?
ALL is most common in early childhood, peaking between 2 and 5 years of age. AML tends to be more spread out across the childhood years, but it's slightly more common during the first 2 years of life and during the teenage years.