Leukemia Chemotherapy Treatment

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Leukemia Chemotherapy Treatment
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For most people with leukemia, chemotherapy treatment will be used to treat the cancer. Chemotherapy is a cancer treatment that uses a drug or a combination of drugs to kill leukemia cells. In cases of leukemia, chemotherapy treatment may be given by mouth, through a catheter, or by injection into a vein, into the cerebrospinal fluid, or into the spine. Side effects of leukemia chemotherapy treatment may include increased risk of infection, fatigue, hair loss, nausea, vomiting, and fertility-related problems.

Leukemia Chemotherapy Treatment: An Overview
Most patients with leukemia receive chemotherapy, which is a type of leukemia treatment that uses drugs to kill leukemia cells. Depending on the type of leukemia that a patient has, he or she may receive a single drug or a combination of two or more drugs.

Leukemia chemotherapy treatment may be given in several different ways, which include:

* By mouth
* By injection into a vein
* Through a catheter
* Injection directly into the cerebrospinal fluid
* Injection into the spine or a Ommaya reservoir


Catheter
When leukemia chemotherapy treatment is administered in this fashion, a thin, flexible tube is placed in a large vein, often in the upper chest. A catheter that stays in place is useful for patients who need many IV treatments. The healthcare professional will then inject drugs into the catheter, rather than directly into a vein. This method avoids the need for many injections, which can cause discomfort and injure the veins and skin.

Injection Into the Cerebrospinal Fluid
If the pathologist finds leukemia cells in the fluid that fills the spaces in and around the brain and spinal cord, the doctor may order intrathecal chemotherapy. The doctor will then inject drugs directly into the cerebrospinal fluid. This method is used because drugs given by IV injection or taken by mouth often do not reach cells in the brain and spinal cord. There is a network of blood vessels that filter blood going to the brain and spinal cord. This blood-brain barrier stops drugs from reaching the brain. The patient may receive the drugs from an injection into the spine or Ommaya reservoir.

Injection Into the Spine
The doctor will inject the drugs into the lower part of the spinal column.

Ommaya Reservoir
Children and some adult patients receive intrathecal chemotherapy through a special catheter called an Ommaya reservoir. The doctor will place the catheter under the scalp and then inject the anticancer drugs into the catheter. This method avoids the discomfort of injections into the spine.

The Course for Leukemia Chemotherapy Treatment
Patients receive leukemia chemotherapy treatment in cycles -- a treatment period, then a recovery period, and then another treatment period. In some cases, the patient will receive chemotherapy as an outpatient at the hospital, the doctor's office, or at home. However, depending on which drugs are given, and the patient's general health, a hospital stay may be necessary.

Targeted Therapy as Leukemia Chemotherapy Treatment
Some people with chronic myeloid leukemia receive a new type of treatment called targeted therapy. Targeted therapy blocks the production of leukemia cells but does not harm normal cells. Gleevec®, also called STI-571, is the first targeted therapy approved for chronic myeloid leukemia.

Targeted therapy affects only leukemia cells, which means that it causes fewer side effects than most other anticancer drugs. However, Gleevec may cause patients to retain water, which may cause swelling or bloating.

Side Effects of Leukemia Chemotherapy Treatment
The side effects of leukemia chemotherapy treatment depend mainly on the specific drugs and the dose. In general, anticancer drugs affect cells that divide rapidly, especially leukemia cells.

Chemotherapy can also affect other rapidly dividing cells, which include:


* Blood cells: These cells fight infection, help the blood to clot, and carry oxygen to all parts of the body. When blood cells are affected, patients are more likely to get infections, may bruise or bleed easily, and may feel very weak and tired.



* Cells in hair roots: Chemotherapy can lead to hair loss. Although hair will grow back, the new hair may be somewhat different in color and texture.



* Cells that line the digestive tract: Chemotherapy can cause mouth and lip sores, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, and poor appetite.


Many of these side effects can be controlled with drugs.

Some anticancer drugs can affect a patient's fertility, which may cause side effects that include the following:


* Women may have irregular menstrual periods or periods may stop altogether
* Women may have symptoms of menopause, such as hot flashes and vaginal dryness
* Men may stop producing sperm.


Some men decide to have their sperm frozen and stored before treatment because these changes in fertility can be permanent. Children who are treated for leukemia appear to have normal fertility when they grow up. However, depending on the drugs and doses used, and the age of the patient, some boys and girls may be infertile when they mature.

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