Read about coping with ALL and the support available, diet and exercise, life after a transplant, and sex and fertility. But there are some factors that may increase your risk of developing it.
Read about research into acute lymphoblastic leukaemia ALL , and find out what clinical trials are and how to take part. Read our information about coronavirus and cancer. About Cancer generously supported by Dangoor Education since Questions about cancer?
Call freephone 9 to 5 Monday to Friday or email us. Skip to main content. Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia ALL Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia ALL is a type of blood cancer that starts from white blood cells called lymphocytes in the bone marrow. Chemotherapy is the main treatment.
Some people need to have a stem cell transplant. The blast cells can then spill out of the bone marrow into the bloodstream and accumulate in various organs including the lymph nodes glands , spleen, liver and central nervous system brain and spinal cord. These different classifications include:. People diagnosed with B-cell ALL are commonly treated with similar drugs to those used to treat Burkitt lymphoma.
This type of ALL can be further classified as early, mid or late, depending on the maturity of the affected cell. T-cell ALL commonly presents with a high white blood cell count and involvement of the central nervous system at diagnosis. ALL is the most common type of childhood leukaemia, and the most common childhood cancer.
It is more common in males than females. The characteristics of ALL differ greatly between children and adults. These days with treatment, the majority of children with ALL can be cured of their disease. If it spreads to the lymph nodes in the chest, symptoms can include breathing problems and chest pain. Doctors don't know exactly what causes leukemia. But some things can make kids more likely to get it, such as:. Most kids with ALL will get chemotherapy.
These are special drugs that kill cancer cells. Which drugs a child gets and in what combination depends on the subtype of ALL and how fast-moving the disease is.
How cancer cells respond to the first treatment helps doctors decide how to choose the next type of chemo. The treatment goal is remission , which is when tests don't find any cancer cells in the body. Then, maintenance chemotherapy keeps the child in remission and prevents the cancer from coming back.
Kids get maintenance chemo for 2 to 3 years. Some kids who have a fast-growing type of ALL might need a stem cell transplant sometimes called a bone marrow transplant. This treatment involves:. Clinical trials are research studies that offer promising new treatments not yet available to the public. Doctors will decide if a child is a good candidate for a clinical trial. Having a child being treated for cancer can feel overwhelming for any family. But you're not alone. Many resources are available to help you get through this difficult time.
Reviewed by: Larissa Hirsch, MD. Larger text size Large text size Regular text size. What Is Leukemia? What Is Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia?
Other symptoms of leukemia can include: pain in the bones or joints, sometimes causing a limp swollen lymph nodes swollen glands in the neck, groin, or elsewhere poor appetite and weight loss fevers belly pain Because their white blood cells can't fight infections, kids with leukemia are more likely to get viral or bacterial infections.
What Causes Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia?
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