Whilst over 90% of Acute Lymphoblastic childhood Leukaemia cases can now be successfully treated (with survival for 5 years or more), treatment is long and gruelling, lasting two years for girls and three years for boys.
The initial aim of treatment is to achieve a state called remission where most of the leukaemia cells have been killed, allowing the production of normal blood cells to resume. This stage involves the use of several drugs in combination and usually lasts between three and eight weeks, depending on how quickly you respond to treatment.
Following this initial or induction treatment there will be further blocks of consolidation treatments followed by maintenance chemotherapy which can last up to three years.  As well as chemotherapy, some high-risk children may also require and/or a stem cell (bone marrow) transplant.