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What is leukemia? — Leukemia is a type of blood cancer. The blood is made up of different types of cells that are made in the bone marrow (in the middle of bones).
In leukemia, the bone marrow makes abnormal blood cells instead of normal blood cells. The abnormal cells grow out of control, get into the blood, and travel around the body. When the bone marrow makes abnormal blood cells, it does not make enough of the normal blood cells that your child's body needs. This causes symptoms.
There are different types of leukemia. Some types grow quickly, and others grow slowly. Most leukemia in children is the fast-growing type, called "acute" leukemia. There are 2 types of acute leukemia. Most children who have leukemia have acute lymphoblastic leukemia (also called "ALL"). But some children with leukemia have acute myeloid leukemia (also called "AML").
What are the symptoms of leukemia? — The most common symptoms are:
●Feeling very tired and weak
●Bleeding more easily than usual
●Getting fevers or infections more easily than usual
●Bone pain, which can make children limp or refuse to walk
●Swollen lymph nodes (bean-shaped organs) that you can see or feel under your child's skin
These symptoms can also be caused by conditions that are not leukemia. But if your child has these symptoms, let their doctor or nurse know.
Is there a test for leukemia? — Yes. The doctor or nurse will ask about your child's symptoms and do an exam. They will also do:
●Blood tests
●A bone marrow biopsy – For this test, a doctor takes a very small sample of your child's bone marrow. Then, another doctor looks at the sample under a microscope to check for cancer cells.
How is leukemia in children treated? — The right treatment for your child will depend on the type of leukemia:
●Acute lymphoblastic leukemia ("ALL") – Treatment involves chemotherapy, which are what doctors call medicines that kill leukemia cells. Chemotherapy for ALL includes medicines that are given through a thin tube that goes into a vein (called an "IV"), as well as others that are taken by mouth and some that are injected into the spinal fluid in the back.
Most children with ALL are in "remission" soon after they start treatment. This means that doctors do not see any more abnormal blood cells in their blood or bone marrow. But even though doctors do not see any abnormal cells, they are still in their body. To kill these cells and keep the leukemia from returning, your child will need to finish treatment. For many children, it can take about 2 to 3 years to finish treatment. The later parts of treatment are milder, and children can often return to school and other activities during this time.
●Acute myeloid leukemia ("AML") – Treating AML requires chemotherapy with medicines given by IV. This is often followed by a bone marrow transplant (also called "stem cell transplant"). This replaces cells in the bone marrow that are killed by chemotherapy or radiation. The "donor" cells can come from different places, including:
•People who are related to your child, and whose blood matches your child's
•People who are not related to your child, but whose blood matches your child's
•Blood (that matches your child's) from a newborn baby's umbilical cord
What happens after treatment? — After treatment, the doctor will check your child often to see if the leukemia comes back. Follow-ups include talking with the doctor, exams, and blood tests. Sometimes, the doctor will also do a bone marrow biopsy.
You should also watch your child for the symptoms listed above. Having those symptoms could mean the leukemia has come back. Tell the doctor or nurse if your child has any symptoms.
What happens if the leukemia comes back? — If the leukemia comes back, your child might have more treatment. This could involve chemotherapy, radiation, immunotherapy (treatments that use the body's immune system to kill cancer cells), or a bone marrow transplant.
What else should I do? — It is important to follow all of the doctor's instructions about visits and tests. It's also important to let the doctor know if your child has any side effects or problems during treatment.
Leukemia treatment can involve making many choices, such as what treatment your child should have and when. Always let the doctors and nurses know how you feel about a treatment. Any time your child is offered a treatment, ask:
●What are the benefits of this treatment? Is it likely to help my child live longer? Will it reduce or prevent symptoms?
●What are the downsides to this treatment?
●Are there other options besides this treatment?
●What happens if my child does not have this treatment?
Patient education: Leukemia in adults (The Basics)
Patient education: Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) (The Basics)
Patient education: Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) (The Basics)
Patient education: Allogeneic bone marrow transplant (The Basics)
Patient education: Preserving fertility after cancer treatment in children (The Basics)
