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Leukemia prevention and medical treatment
Prevention of leukemia
Can leukemia be prevented? |
Studies show that there is a link between childhood leukemia and certain environmental factors (radioactive radiation, direct exposure to certain pesticides, prolonged exposure to electromagnetic fields, alcohol, cigarette smoke). However, more research needs to be done to confirm these effects. |
Leukemia medical treatments
The goal of leukemia treatments is to eliminate malignant cells without affecting normal cells in the bone marrow. Several researches are underway in order to develop the best possible treatments.
Depending on the type of leukemia, the age of the patient and their medical condition, several treatment options are available. Treatments usually consist of several phases including:
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is a systemic treatment that circulates throughout the body and aims to destroy cancer cells and bring blood cell production back to normal. Different anticancer (cytotoxic) drugs are used depending on the type of leukemia.
Radiotherapy
Radiation therapy treatments use high energy rays or particles to destroy cancer cells. This technique is used to treat or prevent the spread of disease to the central nervous system and in preparation for a stem cell transplant.
Targeted therapy
Some drugs attack specific vulnerabilities in cancer cells. For example, in chronic myeloid leukemia, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor drug (imatinibe, Gleevec in Canada, Glivec in France and Belgium) has become standard treatment, particularly at the onset of the disease, and allows periods of remission of more than five years.
Bone marrow or stem cell transplant or autologous transplant
After treatment with chemotherapy and radiotherapy, the patient receives an injection of bone marrow or stem cells which help to reform the bone marrow. Stem cells can come from a donor or from the patient himself (= autogreffe). This technique is used as a treatment for people under the age of 55.
Supportive treatment
Different medicines can be given to control complications due to treatment, for example, antibiotics and antifungals to fight infections, blood products when the number of blood cells is low, growth factors to stimulate the production of white blood cells, medicines that reduce high levels of certain chemicals in the blood, leukapheresis, to reduce the number of white blood cells in the blood.
Follow-up after treatment.
Patients who have received treatment for leukemia should be monitored regularly for about 5 years, even if they have no signs of the disease.