What are the various stages of leukemia treatment?
There are various stages in the treatment of leukemia, including the following: • induction – chemotherapy 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 visible when a sample of the bone marrow is examined under a microscope. This phase may last approximately one month and can be repeated if the goal is not achieved. • intensification – continued treatment even though 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. This may include chemotherapy given to the central nervous system to kill any leukemia cells present there, or to prevent the spread of leukemia cells to the spinal cord or brain. Radiation therapy may also be given to the brain during this phase.
