How is Childhood Leukemia Diagnosed?
There are various stages in the treatment of leukemia, including the following: • Induction—a combination of chemotherapy and/or radiation and medications given to stop the process of abnormal cells being made in the bone marrow. Remission is the goal in this stage of treatment. Remission means the leukemia cells are no longer being made. This phase often lasts approximately one month in ALL, and somewhat longer in AML • Intensification or consolidation—continued treatment even though leukemia cells may not be visible. The leukemia cells may not be visible in a blood test or bone marrow examination, but it is possible that the cells are still present in the body. • Maintenance—Used in ALL, this stage maintains leukemia-free bone marrow by continuing less intense chemotherapy for a longer duration. This phase can last months to several years. Regular visits to your child’s physician are required in order to determine response to treatment, detect any recurrent disease and manage any sid
