Since anti-leukemic drugs also affect normal cells, side effects are common. Therapy must be carefully administered and constantly monitored. The best chance for a long-term remission is total care treatment in specially equipped medical facilities by a team of specially trained doctors, nurses and paramedics. Usually within four weeks, a patient is free from any signs of disease. Maintenance therapy is employed, some-times for several months, with selected drugs used to extend and maintain remission.
Supportive therapy is required when disease is active.
It may include blood transfusions, platelet transfusions, antibiotics or bone marrow transplant . The result of successful treatment means a longer life expectancy than ever for leukemia patients, with a significant number achieving a normal lifespan. Though recovery from leukemia was once considered hopeless, major treatment advances mean that acute leukemia is now considered a potentially curable disease. Patients who take part in these trials make an important contribution to medical science and may have the first chance to benefit from improved treatment methods. A full discussion of clinical trials is provided elsewhere on this Web site.