Is leukemia Fatal?

I was wondering if acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia is usually fatal. I am doing an open research project and i chose childhood leukemia, but i just can't seem to find this answer. Nothing says it is fatal, but then nothing says it isn't fatal so....

As Amy said Pediatric ALL is quite treatable, although the stats I've seen (from the SEER database) put the long term survival rate closer to 80% than 90%. Of course this means that 20% of the children still die from it.

The long term survival rate for Adult ALL is lower, but I'm not sure if it's as low as 20-40%. Those sound more like the survival rates for Adult Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML). ALL is a lot rarer in adults, so there's not as much data on which to base a conclusion. I do have a friend who was diagnosed with ALL five years ago and achieved a permanent remission w/ only Chemo and Radiation.

My daugher Alex (who's 8 now) was diagnosed with Pediatric AML when she was 10 months old and at the time we were quoted a long term survival rate of 30-40%. The survival rate today is still in the low 40's.

Alex is now 2 1/2 years post 2nd Cord Blood Transplant and aside from cataract surgery on one eye (the result of the targeted radiation for a Leukemic tumor) and continued medication for seizures (another unfortunate side effect of the radiation), she is your typical 8 year old. Albeit a 8 year old who has relapsed seven times, gone through two Cord Blood Transplants, and been treated with innumerable rounds of conventional chemo, experimental chemo, targeted radiation, total body irradiation, spinal cranial irradiation, etc...

Hope this helps.

-- Todd

P.S. You can read more about Alex's fight against Leukemia at http://www.alexupdate.com

Only 20-40% of adults with ALL are cured with current regimens. You can read some more info about it here http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/t...

I am a pediatric nurse, and children, from toddlers to early teens, usually do well with this type of illness if properly treated with chemo. About 90% survive.

Tags

　　Listeria Infections 　　Ligament Injuries 　　Life Support 　　Lice 　　Lewy Body Disease 　　Leukodystrophies 　　Leukemia 　　Lesbian Health 　　Leishmaniasis 　　Legionnaires Disease 　　Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease 　　Leg Disorders 　　Leg Injuries

Related information

Childhood leukemia symptoms?

From one paranoid parent to another (my son was hospitilized for a couple of days during the holidays after running a week of fever)....and I, like yourself, let my mind run wild....it turns out he...

Is Leukemia hereditary?

Hello, No in 95% plus of cases there is no hereditary predisposition to leukemia. The one exception is with identical twins, if one twin gets leukemia, the other twin has a higher 'risk�...

Does Leukemia run in Families?

There is a familial link in some types of leukaemia, the chromosomal abnormality is called the Philidelphia chromosome. There is also a gene called the BCR-ABL. That does not mean that all leukae...

How true that leukemia has no cure?

Well, I've been in remission for 3 years, so let's hope that's not true.

...

Leukemia project?

Here is where you'll find the best info on Leukemia: ...

Leukemia childhood cancer survivors? (ALL)?

I have a friend who is a childhood leukemia survivor. She has dealt with it since she was very young and is 20 now. She has done very well. I can't say this will help you in any way. Howev...

Leukemia paper. Help please!!?

GOOD LUCK!!! ...

If your grandma had leukemia and your mom had leukemia, is it possible that you can have leukemia?

Leukemia is a general term that describes over ten or more different types of cancer of the blood. Leukemia is not commonly considered a hereditary cancer (like some types of breast or colon cancer...