Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL) in Kiddies

Acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) is a cancer within your system`s blood-making system. (It is also known as acute lymphoblastic leukemia and acute lymphoid leukemia) The term"severe" refers to the fact that the disorder can advance fast. "Lymphocytic" means that the cancer develops from lymphocytes, a kind of white blood cell.

Bone marrow, the soft interior of bones, leaves cells that circulate in blood. They include red blood cells blood cells, and platelets. The two kinds of white blood cells have been myeloid cells and cells. Lymphocytes populate the thymus, the spleen, lymph nodes and the gastrointestinal tract, where they provide immunity to help in fighting ailments.

The bone marrow creates three types of lymphocytes:

• B lymphocytes -- All these cells make antibodies to help protect your body against germsand bacteria.

• T lymphocytes -- All these cells could destroy virus-infected cells, foreign cells, and cancer cells. They also make antibodies.

• Natural killer cells -- These cells can kill viruses and cancer cells.

In every, the bone marrow makes too many immature lymphocytes. All these lymphocytesare known as blasts, contain abnormal material that is genetic. They cannot fight cells as well as infections. As these lymphocytes grow quickly, they also crowd out healthy blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets from the blood and bone marrow. This could result in illness, anemia, and easy bleeding.

The immature and abnormal lymphocytes that describe ALL arise from the bone marrow are discharged into the blood stream fast. It can involve other regions of the body, like the lymph nodes, liver, spleen, brain and spinal cord (central nervous system), along with testicles (testes).

ALL is the most common cancer in kids Even though it`s rare in adults. It could affect children of any age, but most are diagnosed between 2 and 4 years old.

A few factors can increase a child`s risk of developing ALL. These include

• Having a sibling with leukemia

• Getting white

• Getting male

• Exposure to x rays before arrival

• Exposure to radiation

• Past treatment with

• Possessing certain inherited disorders, such as Down syndrome

• Possessing a particular genetic modification (mutation).

Having more than one of these risk factors does not mean your child will develop ALL. Many kids with the disorder don`t have any risk factors.

ALL has sub types. Subtypes depend on

• Whether the cancerous cells made from T lymphocytes or B lymphocytes

• Your child`s age

• Perhaps the cells possess certain changes in their genetic material.

Symptoms

The signs of in children are similar to those in adults. They include

• Stress

• Easy bleeding or bruising

• Dark reddish spots beneath the skin

• Lumps under the arms or in the neck, stomach, or stomach

• Difficulty breathing

• Joint or bone pain

• Weakness

• fatigue

• headaches

• Loss of appetite and unexplained weight loss.

If your child has these symptoms, it does not mean that he or she has ALL. Other problems can cause these symptoms. But, you should contact your child`s physician should they occur.

Diagnosis

The very first step in diagnosis is medical heritage and a physical examination. Your child`s physician will look for signs of disease, like lumps in the neck. He or she will inquire about your child`s past illnesses along with your family`s medical history and treatments.

To decide if your child has ALL, then the physician may also need to try your child`s blood and bone marrow, and also potentially other tissues and cells. The following tests and procedures can be utilized:

• Blood cell count and other blood evaluations -- health practitioners examine a blood sample, checking the number of blood cells and platelets. The amount and type of white blood cells will be assessed, too. The look of these cells are also noticed.

• Bone marrow aspiration and biopsy -- A small sample of liquid and bone bone marrow is removed from the hipbone or breastbone having a long needle. A specially trained physician checks the sample for abnormal cells.

• Cytogenetic analysis -- This test searches for certain variations in the hereditary substance of lymphocytes.

• Flow cytometry (immunophenotyping) -- This test assesses the characteristics of someone`s tissues. In-all, it helps determine if cancerous cells began from B lymphocytes or T lymphocytes.

These along with other lab evaluations can also help determine the subtype of ALL.

If your child is diagnosed with ALL, your physician may suggest other tests and procedures. These can help determine if the cancer has spread beyond the bloodstream and bone marrow. The outcome may also help to plan a course of treatment. Additional evaluations are likely to add

• Imaging tests, including being a chest xray, computed tomography (CT) scan and ultrasound

• Lumbar puncture (spinal tap), that entails gathering fluid from the spine with a needle.

You`ll find two major risk categories for youth ALL. They`re based on age and white blood cell counts. The chance groups are standard (low) risk and higher hazard ) The risk degree helps determine the treatment that is best.

Children with ALL should be looked after by a team with expertise in childhood leukemia. Long-term, regular follow-up exams are very important also. That is because treatment for childhood ALL can have long term impacts on learning, memory, mood, and also other areas of health. In addition, it can increase the probability of developing new cancers, particularly brain tumors.

Expected Duration

ALL usually gets.

Prevention

There are no proven methods.

Procedure

Treatment of childhood ALL usually occurs in stages:

• First phase -- induction therapy. The goal of this phase would be to kill as many leukemia cells at the blood and bone marrow as feasible.

• Second phase -- consolidation therapy. The goal of this phase would be to kill any leukemia cells that remain after induction therapy. These cells might not be busy, but they could begin to grow and make a relapse.

• Third phase -- maintenance therapy. The goal of this phase would be the same as the next phase. The doses of medication are lower.

Additionally, kids with ALL usually receive therapy to prevent or treat leukemia in spinal cord and the brain.

Your little one could have biopsies and bone marrow aspirations during treatment. These evaluations show the cancer is responding to treatment.

The sort of treatment varies based on the child`s age, disease subtype, and risk class (standard/low risk or higher hazard ). Four types of therapy are used for youth ALL:

Chemotherapy is the treatment for ALL. It involves the use of more drugs to kill cancer cells or prevent them from growing and dividing. Chemotherapy drugs can be taken orally or injected into muscle or a vein. They travel throughout the blood and body. Could be used when treating ALL that has, or can, spread to spinal cord and the brain. (ALL cells can"hide" in and across the spinal cord and spinal cord.)

• Radiation therapy uses highenergy radiation to kill cancer cells or stop them from growing. Rays can also be delivered from a machine outside your body (external radiation therapy). Or, it can originate from a sterile chemical put into the body, either in or near cancer (internal radiation therapy). Because radiation therapy can influence the growth of the brain, particularly the physician might stay away from it to take care of the brain. However it may be used in kids with high risk ALL.

• Targeted therapy uses medication to recognize and attack cancer cells without affecting healthy cells. The medication, called tyrosine kinase inhibitors, block an enzyme that drives the growth of cancers caused by specific genetic mutations.

• Chemo Therapy with stem cell transplant replaces a person`s blood-forming cells. If the cells are abnormal, this might be necessary or have been destroyed by cancer therapy. Stem cells (immature blood cells) are removed from the bone or bone marrow of the patient or a donor. Once removedthey have been suspended. The individual receives high-dose chemotherapy. The stem stem cells are infused into the patient`s blood. These tissues grow into cells. A stem cell transplant includes significant short- and long term sideeffects, so it`s infrequently the procedure of choice in teens and kids. If the disease returns after it had been treated it may be utilized.

• Corticosteroids. Kids with ALL frequently receive high levels of corticosteroids, such as prednisone or dexamethasone. These drugs can cause an assortment of side effects including a puffy face weight reduction and higher blood sugar .

A treatment approach for several is the use of so called therapy. The individual`s blood cells have been removed and then modified to allow them to recognize the receptor cells and then eliminate them. While this therapy remains not yet FDA approved, it`s very likely to be approved so on.

No side effects are experienced by some kids receiving ALL procedure, but the others do. Side effects vary, depending upon the procedure. They can include

• Anemia (a deficiency of arteries )

• Infection

• Easy bleeding

• Nausea

• Mouth sores

• Diarrhea

• Baldness

• Thin bones.

There are a number of ways. For example, regular handwashing helps lower the probability of illness.

After he or she`s finished treatment your little one will need normal checkups. A few may be repeated determine if the cancer has returned and to monitor your child`s health.

When To Call a Specialist

Speak to your physician or healthcare provider should you observe any signs of most in your little one. These include

• Stress

• Easy bleeding or bruising

• Dark reddish spots beneath the skin

• Lumps in the neck, stomach, or groin, or under the arms

• Difficulty breathing

• Joint or bone pain

• Weakness

• fatigue

• headaches

• Loss of appetite and unexplained weight loss.

Prognosis

The prognosis for youth ALL depends on

• The child`s age

• The child`s white blood cell count at diagnosis

• The reaction to this treatment of the disease

• The child`s race and gender

• Whether the disease began from T lymphocytes or B lymphocytes

• The existence of specific changes

• Whether the cancer has spread to the brain or back

• Perhaps the child has Down syndrome

• Perhaps the platelet count falls to levels that increase the probability of intense, potentially life-threatening bleeding

• Whether there are complications in treatment.

Survival rates for children with ALL have improved over time, as a result of improvements in therapy. A minimum of five decades, more than 80 percent of kids with ALL live ago

External resources

National Cancer Institute (NCI)NCI Public Inquiries Office6116 Executive BoulevardRoom 3036ABethesda, MD 20892-8322Toll-Free: 800-4-CANCER (800-422-6237)TTY: 800-332-8615http://www.cancer.gov/

American Cancer Society (ACS)P.O. Box 56566Atlanta, GA 30343Toll-Free: 800-ACS-2345 (800-227-2345)TTY: 866-228-4327http://www.cancer.org/

Leukemia & Lymphoma Society1311 Mamaroneck Ave.White Plains, NY 10605Phone: 914-949-5213Toll-Free: 800-955-4572http://www.leukemia-lymphoma.org/

Further info

Always consult with your healthcare provider to be sure the information displayed on this page pertains to your circumstances.