Leukemia Treatment-Most patients with leukemia undergoing chemotherapy. This type of cancer treatment uses drugs to kill leukemia cells. Depending on the type of leukemia, patients may receive a single drug or combination of two or more drugs.
Patients with leukemia may receive chemotherapy in various ways:
* Through the mouth
* By injection directly into veins (or intravenous)
* Through a catheter (small flexible tube) is placed inside a large vein, often in the upper chest - The nurse will inject the drug into the catheter, to avoid multiple injections. This will reduce discomfort and / or injury to the vein / skin.
* By injection directly into the cerebrospinal fluid - if the pathologist finds
leukemia cells in the fluid that fills the spaces in the brain and spinal cord, the doctor may order intrathecal chemotherapy. The doctor injects drugs directly into the cerebrospinal fluid. This method is used because drugs given by IV injection or by mouth often do not reach cells in the brain and spinal cord.
Biological Therapy
People with certain types of leukemia have biological therapy to boost the body's natural defenses against cancer. This therapy is given by injection in the veins.
For patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia, the type of biological therapy used is monoclonal antibody that binds to the leukemia cells. This therapy enables the immune system to kill leukemia cells in the blood and bone marrow. For patients with chronic myeloid leukemia, biological therapy used is a natural substance called interferon to slow the growth of leukemia cells.
Radiation therapy
Radiation therapy (also called radiotherapy) uses high-energy rays to kill leukemia cells. For most patients, a large machine directs radiation at the spleen, brain, or other parts of the body where leukemia cells stacked this. Some patients receive radiation that is directed to the whole body. (Total-body irradiation is usually given before bone marrow transplantation.)
Transplantation of Stem Cells (Stem Cell)
Some leukemia patients undergoing stem cell transplantation (stem cell). Stem cell transplantation allows patients treated with high doses of drugs, radiation, or both. The high doses destroy both leukemia cells and normal blood cells in bone marrow. Then, the patient receives stem cells (stem cells) are healthy through a flexible tube placed in a large vein in the neck or chest area. The cells will grow new blood from stem cells (stem cell) transplant outcome of this.
After stem cell transplantation (stem cell), patients usually stay in hospital for several weeks. Health team will protect patients from infection until the stem cells (stem cell) transplantation results begin producing white blood cells in adequate amounts.
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