Patients diagnosed with leukemia need to make decisions regarding their leukemia treatment as quickly as possible. This is important to improve long-term outcomes. Still, we realized that it could be difficult to decide how to proceed with treatment, which provider to seek treatment from and how to plan for what will happen next. To help in that process, here are a few facts that patients should consider.
As a healthcare provider, we work closely with patients to develop a strategy and a roadmap for treatment. This is necessary for knowing what is coming next and for helping patients to prepare mentally, physically and emotionally for the various procedures that will be used to help promote their healing.
Leukemia treatment is focused on destroying cancer. Simultaneously, it is essential to improve a patient's overall health and to do things to boost the immune system and decrease the risk for infection. These supportive treatments are not what one immediately thinks of when considering cancer treatment, but they are incredibly important for helping a patient to remain as healthy as possible and increase the likelihood that treatment will be successful. These supportive treatments may include immunizations, taking vitamins and supplements or receiving acupuncture or other alternative therapies. In many cases, these support treatments help patients to feel more comfortable and experience less pain while they are receiving things like chemotherapy.
There is more than one type of leukemia. As such, the treatment plan for one person could be different for the next. This makes it necessary for people not to go off what another patient has gone through, but to speak with our office about what will be required as part of their treatment.
Many patients who have been diagnosed with leukemia will receive some form of chemotherapy. How long each session will take will depend on how advanced the leukemia is and how well patients respond to other types of treatment. Still, this is typically part of the overall treatment process.
Radiation can be used independently or in combination with chemotherapy.
In some cases, and leukemia treatment will involve bone marrow or stem cell transplant. This can be necessary because chemotherapy and radiation can destroy stem cells and may also destroy some of the healthy bone marrow. By transplanting stem cells, it can be possible for them to travel to the bone marrow. Once there, they can begin to produce new blood cells. These stem cells may come from the individual patient or a donor.
With the proper leukemia treatment, most people who are diagnosed with leukemia will have a positive long-term result. The key is beginning treatment as quickly as possible and continuing to receive care until a patient has reached intermission.
Since each treatment process is going to be unique for the individual patient, it is important to visit with a physician in our office to discuss all the options.
Call (856) 475-0876 today to reach Lindenberg Cancer & Hematology Center.
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