What Are The Treatments For Leukemia?
Treatment is dependent on the type of leukemia, and may differ dependent on the patient’s age, health and extent of the disease. For specific treatments, look below for links to the National Cancer Institute’s PDQ. Leukemia is a complex disease, and with about 30,800 cases per year in the United States, it is relatively rare. For this reason, it is recommended that patients receive treatment at a medical center that is experienced in treating the disease. Acute leukemias need to be treated quickly. The goal of therapy is to induce a remission, which means there is no evidence of leukemic cells, and the body returns to normal. Once this is achieved, patients often receive further therapy to prevent a relapse (return of the disease). Chronic leukemias may not need to be treated right away, depending on the symptoms at diagnosis. It has been thought in the past that chronic leukemias could never be cured, but this thinking has changed with the development of new therapies. Follow-Up Testi
