Treatment of children with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL)
The main treatment for children with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) is
chemotherapy, which is usually divided into 3 phases:
· Induction
· Consolidation (also called intensification)
· Maintenance
When leukemia is diagnosed, there are usually about 100 billion leukemia cells in the
body. Killing 99.9% of these leukemia cells during the 1-month induction treatment is
enough to achieve a remission, but it still leaves about 100 million leukemia cells in the
body. These also must be destroyed. An intensive 1- to 2-month program of consolidation
treatment and about 2 years of maintenance chemotherapy helps destroy the remaining
cancer cells.
As mentioned earlier, children with ALL are typically divided into standard-risk, highrisk,
or very high-risk groups to make sure that the correct types and doses of drugs are
given. Treatment may be more or less intense, depending on the risk group.
Induction
The goal of induction chemotherapy is to achieve a remission. This means that leukemia
cells are no longer found in bone marrow samples, the normal marrow cells return, and
the blood counts become normal. (A remission is not necessarily a cure.)
More than 95% of children with ALL enter remission after 1 month of induction
treatment. This first month is intense and requires prolonged hospital stays for treatment
and frequent visits to the doctor. Your child may spend some or much of this time in the
hospital, because serious infections or other complications can occur. It is very important
to take all medicines as prescribed. Sometimes complications can be serious enough to be
life-threatening, but in recent years, advances in supportive care (nursing care, nutrition,
antibiotics, red blood cell and platelet transfusions as needed, etc.) have made these much
less common than in the past.
Children with standard-risk ALL often receive 3 drugs for the first month of treatment.
These include the chemotherapy drugs L-asparaginase and vincristine, and a steroid drug
(usually dexamethasone). For children in high-risk groups, a fourth drug in the
anthracycline class (daunorubicin is the one most often used) is typically added. Other
drugs that may be given early are methotrexate and/or 6-mercaptopurine.
Intrathecal chemotherapy: All children also need chemotherapy into the cerebrospinal
fluid (CSF) to kill any leukemia cells that might have spread to the brain and spinal cord.
This treatment, known as intrathecal chemotherapy, is given through a lumbar puncture
(spinal tap). It is usually given twice (or more if the leukemia is high risk or leukemia
cells have been found in the CSF) during the first month and 4 to 6 times during the next
1 or 2 months. It is then repeated less often during the rest of treatment. Usually,
methotrexate is the drug used for intrathecal chemotherapy. Hydrocortisone (a steroid)
and cytarabine (ara-C) may be added, particularly in high-risk children.
Along with intrathecal therapy, some high-risk patients (for example, those with T-cell
ALL) and those with many leukemia cells in their CSF when the leukemia is diagnosed
may be given radiation therapy to the brain. This was more common in the past, but
recent studies have found that many children even with high-risk ALL may not need
radiation therapy if they are given more intensive chemotherapy. Doctors try to avoid
giving radiation to the brain if possible, especially in younger children, because no matter
how low the dose is kept, it can cause problems with thinking, growth, and development.
A possible side effect of intrathecal chemotherapy is seizures during treatment, which
happen in a small percentage of children. Children who develop seizures are treated with
drugs to prevent them.
Treatment of children with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL)The main treatment for children with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) ischemotherapy, which is usually divided into 3 phases:· Induction· Consolidation (also called intensification)· MaintenanceWhen leukemia is diagnosed, there are usually about 100 billion leukemia cells in thebody. Killing 99.9% of these leukemia cells during the 1-month induction treatment isenough to achieve a remission, but it still leaves about 100 million leukemia cells in thebody. These also must be destroyed. An intensive 1- to 2-month program of consolidationtreatment and about 2 years of maintenance chemotherapy helps destroy the remainingcancer cells.As mentioned earlier, children with ALL are typically divided into standard-risk, highrisk,or very high-risk groups to make sure that the correct types and doses of drugs aregiven. Treatment may be more or less intense, depending on the risk group.InductionThe goal of induction chemotherapy is to achieve a remission. This means that leukemiacells are no longer found in bone marrow samples, the normal marrow cells return, andthe blood counts become normal. (A remission is not necessarily a cure.)More than 95% of children with ALL enter remission after 1 month of inductiontreatment. This first month is intense and requires prolonged hospital stays for treatmentand frequent visits to the doctor. Your child may spend some or much of this time in thehospital, because serious infections or other complications can occur. It is very importantto take all medicines as prescribed. Sometimes complications can be serious enough to belife-threatening, but in recent years, advances in supportive care (nursing care, nutrition,antibiotics, red blood cell and platelet transfusions as needed, etc.) have made these muchless common than in the past.Children with standard-risk ALL often receive 3 drugs for the first month of treatment.These include the chemotherapy drugs L-asparaginase and vincristine, and a steroid drug(usually dexamethasone). For children in high-risk groups, a fourth drug in theanthracycline class (daunorubicin is the one most often used) is typically added. Otherdrugs that may be given early are methotrexate and/or 6-mercaptopurine.Intrathecal chemotherapy: All children also need chemotherapy into the cerebrospinalfluid (CSF) to kill any leukemia cells that might have spread to the brain and spinal cord.This treatment, known as intrathecal chemotherapy, is given through a lumbar puncture(spinal tap). It is usually given twice (or more if the leukemia is high risk or leukemiacells have been found in the CSF) during the first month and 4 to 6 times during the next1 or 2 months. It is then repeated less often during the rest of treatment. Usually,methotrexate is the drug used for intrathecal chemotherapy. Hydrocortisone (a steroid)and cytarabine (ara-C) may be added, particularly in high-risk children.Along with intrathecal therapy, some high-risk patients (for example, those with T-cellALL) and those with many leukemia cells in their CSF when the leukemia is diagnosedmay be given radiation therapy to the brain. This was more common in the past, butrecent studies have found that many children even with high-risk ALL may not needradiation therapy if they are given more intensive chemotherapy. Doctors try to avoidgiving radiation to the brain if possible, especially in younger children, because no matterhow low the dose is kept, it can cause problems with thinking, growth, and development.A possible side effect of intrathecal chemotherapy is seizures during treatment, whichhappen in a small percentage of children. Children who develop seizures are treated withdrugs to prevent them.
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