Acute Leukemia

Treatment

Treatment decisions depend on each patient's condition. The following elements are typically included in a treatment plan for acute leukemia.

Chemotherapy

The goal is to eliminate the abnormal cells in the bone marrow and blood and allow the remaining normal cells to grow and produce normal blood counts again. Because bone marrow is present in many bones throughout the body, the most effective treatment for acute leukemia is chemotherapy. The type of chemotherapy administered depends on the patient's subtype of acute leukemia. Many chemotherapy drugs are given intravenously, but some are also given by mouth. Patients require frequent monitoring of blood test results during their treatment and may need intravenous antibiotics to combat associated infections.

Venous Catheter

Because of the frequent need to access a patient's veins during treatment, a surgeon will typically place a long-term central venous catheter in a vein in the neck or under the collarbone. The catheter is tunneled from the vein under the skin exiting in the middle of the chest. The tubing provides access for blood sampling, blood transfusions and the administration of chemotherapy and antibiotics.

Transfusions

Following chemotherapy, blood counts often drop to low levels before normal blood cells begin to grow again. Patients frequently require transfusions of red blood cells and platelets and may need to be hospitalized. Mayo Clinic hospitals have special units dedicated to the treatment of patients with acute leukemia.

Remission

If the initial chemotherapy is successful, the patient is said to enter remission. Blood counts become normal (or nearly so) and the patient is usually able to leave the hospital. Additional chemotherapy is usually necessary to treat any hidden leukemia cells. The duration of chemotherapy depends on the type of leukemia and the patient's condition.

Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT or Blood and Marrow Transplant)

If patients have a subtype of acute leukemia that puts them at high risk for recurrence, or if the leukemia recurs after initial treatment, then bone marrow transplantation is often recommended to control the disease. The transplant can use the patient's own cells (autologous transplant) or cells from another person (i.e., allogeneic transplant). Mayo Clinic is a leading center in the United States for bone marrow transplantation.