Stem cell transplant

High doses of chemotherapy are given to kill cancer cells. Total-body irradiation is usually given with chemotherapy, but it is sometimes not given to infants and very young children. These treatments destroy healthy cells, including blood-forming cells. Stem cell transplant is a treatment to replace the blood-forming cells. Stem cells (immature blood cells) are removed from the blood or bone marrow of a donor and are frozen and stored. After the patient completes chemotherapy and radiation therapy, the stored stem cells are thawed and given to the patient through an infusion. These stem cells grow into (and restore) the body's blood cells. The donor stem cells may also find and kill any cancer cells left in the body.

Stem cell transplant is rarely used as initial treatment for children and adolescents with ALL. It is used more often as part of treatment for ALL that relapses (comes back after treatment).