What is Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia?
Acute lymphocytic leukemia, also known as ALL for short, is a type of leukemia that mostly affects children. ALL can also affects adults, but at a lower rate. It can also be referred to as acute lymphoblasic or acute lymphoid leukemia.ALL progresses rather quickly. The disease is characterized by too many immature white blood cells found in the blood and marrow.
How Common is Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL)?
About 4,000 people will be diagnosed with ALL this year. Only one-third will be adults. According the American Cancer Society, about 1490 people will die of ALL this year, with two-thirds being adults.Symptoms of Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia
- consistent fatigue
- fever
- bruising
- shortness of breath
- weight loss or appetite decrease
Treatment Overview
ALL can be treated with a variety of cancer treatment methods such as: chemotherapy, radiation therapy, biological therapy, and stem cells transplants. The type of treatment used varied depending on the stage of the disease and whether it is recurring. Many times, treatments methods may be used in conjunction with each other.Prognosis of Acute lymhocytic Leukemia
There is an 80% cure rate for children and about 30-50% for adults. If left untreated that life expectancy is about 3 months.Sources: American Cancer Society: Key Statistics About ALL
National Cancer Insitute:Adult Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (PDQ®): Treatment
ADAM Healthy Encyclopedia ALL Prognosis
