Treatment of infants with acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) diagnosed in infancy is uncommon. Infants with ALL usually have more symptoms and need more medical support when they are diagnosed. They have a higher risk of relapse than older children.

Treatment of infants with newly diagnosed ALL during the remission induction, consolidation/intensification, and maintenance phases always includes combination chemotherapy. Infants with ALL are given different anticancer drugs and higher doses of anticancer drugs than children 1 year and older in the standard-risk group. It is not clear whether a stem cell transplant during first remission will help your child live longer.

Intrathecal and systemic chemotherapy are given to prevent or treat the spread of leukemia cells to the brain and spinal cord.

Throughout treatment, it's important that you give your child all medicines ordered by the doctor. Not giving the medicines as directed increases the chance the cancer will come back.