Essay On Childhood Leukemia

The original symptoms that take children to the doctor tend to present as a common illnesses, and some children are treated for those other illnesses before being diagnosed with leukemia. According to www.curesearch.org, “the symptoms can include fatigue, paleness, fever, bruising or bleeding, bone pain, weight loss or loss of appetite, and enlarged lymph nodes”(3). Kids can have symptoms for weeks before cancer is even treated as a possibility. An unconfirmed diagnosis of leukemia can be made after a physical examination by a doctor and an analysis of the child’s blood have been done. Blood tests may show decreased red blood cells, decreased platelets, and either abnormally low or high white blood cell counts. To confirm leukemia, bone marrow is extracted and tested. The bone marrow is examined under a microscope by a pediatric oncologist and/or
The goal of treatment is to reach a complete remission by obliterating all leukemia cells as quickly as possible. Remission is reached when any signs or symptoms of cancer disappear and abnormal cells are no longer found in the blood, bone marrow, or cerebrospinal fluid. The book Childhood Leukemia: A guide for Families, Friends & Caregivers says, “ The primary treatment for ALL is chemotherapy--the use of drugs especially designed to kill cancerous cells”(1). Treatment is usually broken up into 3 phases: remission induction, consolidation and intensification, and maintenance. Remission induction is the first phase with a goal of killing all leukemic cells sending the patient into remission. The second stage, consolidation and intensification, begins once the leukemia is in remission. The goal is to kill any cancer cells that may remain and may cause relapse. Maintenance, the final phase, kills any leukemia cells that may regrow or cause relapse. The goal of all 3 stages is to completely rid the body of leukemia