leukemia cancer

leukemia cancer

How Do You Treat Leukemia?

“He was so stoic, he scared the doctor,” his mother remembered.  “He just sat there and took it.”  This is how Isaiah’s mother described her son’s reaction to the ordeal of treatment for leukemia.  Isaiah, a young Alaska Native, underwent intensive chemotherapy to put his cancer into remission.  After his leukemia was in remission a bone marrow transplant was required to help replenish the healthy blood cells destroyed by chemotherapy.*
Isaiah received the same treatment that many others suffering from acute leukemia receive—chemotherapy followed by a bone marrow transplant.  Rapid advancement and new discoveries in leukemia treatment have made surviving leukemia more likely than it was in the past.  Other options for treatment include radiation, biological therapy and in rare cases, surgery.
Deciding which treatment route to go can be complicated.  The decision is based on the type and extent of the disease as well as certain features of the leukemia cells.  In addition, the health of the patient must also be taken into account.  For example, factors such as age, symptoms, and overall health are evaluated to determine the best treatment.
Acute Leukemia
 One of the most common types of leukemia, acute leukemia, must be treated right away because of how quickly the cancer progresses. The main objective of treatment is to bring about remission, leaving no trace of the disease.  During remission, more therapy is given to the patient to prevent relapse.  When treated early, many people with acute leukemia are cured.
Chronic leukemia
The second most common type of leukemia, chronic leukemia, may not require immediate treatment because disease progression is slower.  However, it is imperative for those with this type of leukemia to have frequent checkups in order to monitor the disease.  When treatment is needed it is often used to control the disease and symptoms.