Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia Multiple forms of leukemia are present in today’s children. The four major forms of childhood leukemia include Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia, Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia, Acute Myelogenous Leukemia, and Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia. Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML) is cancer of the bone and bone marrow (“Acute Myelogenous Leukemia” 1). Compared to AML where 10% of AML patients are children, Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia accounts for 80% of all childhood acute leukemia’s. ALL occurs in children ages three through seven (Zieve 1). Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL) acquires six processes from the beginning of the disease to the end of the disease; understanding ALL involves learning about its causes, symptoms, …show more content…

However, the cells may not always be found in the exam of the spinal fluid (Hughes). Allogenic stem cell transplants are a rare treatment for ALL. “This treatment is used for only some patients with ALL” (“Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia” 5). This is a beneficial treatment for some higher risks forms of ALL such as: T-cell ALL, infant ALL, and adult ALL (Hughes). Allogenic stem cell transplants are performed to give strong doses of chemotherapy or radiation therapy to kill the ALL cells, which will also kill the healthy stem cells in the marrow as well (“Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia” 4). “The transplanted donor stem cells help start a new supply of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets” (“Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia” 4). This procedure is a very high-risk procedure (“Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia” 4). Doctors usually encourage this procedure for adult ALL patients if they are not doing well with other treatments (“Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia” 4). Although this is a dangerous procedure, the expected benefits exceed the possible risks (“Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia” 4). An allogenic stem cell transplant is not usually approved for a child unless the doctors have decided that the child’s type of ALL is not likely to respond well to chemotherapy (“Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia” 4). Also, if the chemotherapy has not worked well, or if the child has relapsed ALL, then the doctors may consider this particular procedure