The main treatment options for leukemia include:
- Chemotherapy (drug treatment)
- Targeted therapy (drugs that attack cancer cells selectively)
- Radiation therapy
- Stem cell transplant
The choice of treatment depends on the type and stage of a person's leukemia, as well as on personal characteristics such as age and overall health status.
Many people require more than one type of treatment, and each person's treatment plan is individualized.
Treatment for leukemia can last for months or even years.
Some people choose to take part in a clinical trial as part of their treatment.
Chemotherapy is the primary treatment for acute leukemias and may be used for chronic leukemias as well. It's usually administered intravenously (through an IV).
For acute leukemia, chemotherapy is done in phases, with one combination of drugs given for a period of time (usually several days), followed by a second and possibly third combination of drugs.
Intensive leukemia chemotherapy causes such side effects as:
- Hair loss
- Nausea and vomiting
- Increased risk of infection
- Increased risk of bleeding
Sometimes other drugs can be prescribed to alleviate some of these side effects.
Targeted therapies are the main treatment for chronic myeloid (or myelogenous) leukemia and may be used for other types of leukemia as well.
Targeted therapies are newer drugs taken as pills that target specific parts of the cancer cells.
They typically have less severe side effects than standard chemotherapy.
Radiation therapy uses high-energy rays or particles to destroy cancer cells.
In the treatment of leukemia, radiation may also be used to relieve pain or discomfort caused by an enlarged liver or spleen or by swollen lymph nodes.
Side effects of radiation therapy can include:
- Skin irritation in the treated area
- Inflammation in the mouth and throat (if you receive radiation to the head or neck)
- Nausea, vomiting, and/or diarrhea (if you receive radiation to abdomen or pelvis)
Stem Cell Transplant
In a stem cell transplant, stem cells (immature cells that can become any type of blood cell) are collected from the blood or bone marrow of a donor or the blood of the person with leukemia.
The person with leukemia is given an intensive course of chemotherapy (with or without radiation therapy) to kill all cancer cells, and then the stem cells are delivered intravenously.
The stem cells make their way to the bone marrow, where they start to make new blood cells, usually within a few weeks.
While a stem cell transplant can have significant benefits, it comes with substantial risks, including the risk of life-threatening complications.
Discussing the risks and benefits with your doctor ahead of time is essential.
When a person is newly diagnosed with leukemia, the main goal of treatment is generally to put the cancer into remission, meaning that following treatment, there are no signs of leukemia in the blood or bone marrow.
Once a person is in remission, a second phase of treatment begins to kill any remaining leukemia cells in the body and prevent a recurrence.
For acute lymphocytic leukemia, a third phase of treatment, called maintenance therapy, which lasts two or three years, is also used to prevent recurrence.
Sometimes leukemia does recur, and a new treatment plan must be put in place to treat it. This may include a stem cell transplant or participation in a clinical trial.
There are also cases in which leukemia does not go into remission with treatment. This is called refractory leukemia.
Again, a new treatment plan must be devised when the first is unsuccessful.
At some point, further treatment may not be an option.
In that case, a person will be offered palliative care to control symptoms — but without the expectation of curing the cancer.
Last Updated: 4/9/2015