Treatment Options
Children who have Acute Myelogeonus Leukemia (AML) are usually treated with chemotherapy and/or a bone marrow transplantation.
About 85 percent of children with AML will go into remission after chemotherapy treatment, according to the American Society of Clinical Oncology, and about 50 percent will be cured.
During chemotherapy treatment, children with AML need to be monitored closely. The way chemotherapy works, children are left with low blood counts and weakened immune systems. Children may spend several weeks in the hospital at Seattle Children's to protect them from developing infections.
Chemotherapy may be given by mouth, intravenously, or injected into the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Your doctor will determine which drugs to use depending on your child's health and subtype of AML.
Two Phases of Treatment
There are two phases to chemotherapy treatment for AML, Induction and Intensification chemotherapy.
Induction chemotherapy is used to put AML into remission.
Intensification chemotherapy is used to rid the body of remaining cancer cells after induction chemotherapy. Chemotherapy or a bone-marrow transplant can be used for intensification therapy.
Side Effects
Side effects of either chemotherapy phase is hair loss, mouth sores, and nausea or vomiting. Chemotherapy may lower the body’s resistance to infection and your child may feel tired. Your child's care team will provide medications to treat these side effects and they will usually go away after chemotherapy treatment is completed.
During your child's treatment, be sure to talk with your doctor about is often the medications for treatment and side effects.
About 50 percent of children with AML are cured with standard chemotherapy. Recurrence usually depends on the subtype of AML that your child has. For children with AML subtypes with lower risks of recurrence, chemotherapy can usually be the only treatment. It's when the risk of recurrence is higher that a bone-marrow transplant is recommended.
Bone Marrow Transplant
At least 70 percent of children with AML are cured with a bone marrow transplant, especially if they receive donor cells from a brother or sister.
Read more about Bone Marrow Transplantation and watch an informative video about this treatment.
Clinical Studies
As doctors find more successful treatments through clinical studies, the prognosis for children with leukemia continues to improve.
Your child’s doctor and health-care team will recommend a treatment plan for your child based on the subtype of AML your child has, your child’s age, and other aspects of your child’s health.
More Information on Treatment Options:
New Treatments
Researchers are working to find more effective treatments for children with leukemia. Through clinical trials, researchers are focused on new AML treatments. Immunotherapy and monoclonal antibody therapy are both under investigation.
Complementary and Integrative Medicine
Many families consider using complementary and integrative medicine as part of a child’s care during cancer treatment. Your first step if you are using or thinking of using complementary medicine is to talk with your child’s doctor.