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The goal of treatment is remission of the cancer. A remission is achieved when the peripheral blood counts and the bone marrow are normal.
Acute lymphocytic leukemia is treated with a combination of anti-cancer drugs (chemotherapy). A hospitalization of 3 to 6 weeks may be necessary for initial (induction) chemotherapy, however, subsequent chemotherapy sessions may be given on an outpatient basis. Additionally, the patient may need to be isolated if the lymphocyte count is very low to prevent catching an infection.
Chemotherapy typically consists of a combination of 3 to 8 medications which may include: prednisone, vincristine, methotrexate, 6-mercaptopurine, and cyclophosphamide. It may also be necessary to administer blood products (e.g., packed red blood cells, platelets ) to treat the anemia and low platelet count. Antibiotic therapy may be required to treat any secondary infections that develop.
After remission is achieved, chemotherapy or radiation therapy may be given in the spinal column to treat any leukemia cells that may have invaded the spinal fluid.
Subsequent therapy is meant to prevent relapse and consists of additional chemotherapy given intermittently, either in the hospital or as an outpatient. This treatment may last up to one year. A bone marrow transplant after high-dose chemotherapy may be a treatment option for cases that relapse or do not respond to other treatments.
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