90 percent of children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia can now be cured In the research, five year rates of survival for children with ALL- Acute lymphoblastic leukemia increased to 90 percent from 84 percent between 1990 and 2005. When the patient has survived for five years, this is regarded to be a cure since not many deaths tend to occur beyond this timeframe.

Dr. Stephen Hunger, the study author said that about 50 years ago, this disease was incurable but now; the cure rate has increased to 90%, which is truly very remarkable. According to Hunger, these clinical trials have really helped physicians a lot in refining their use of drugs and the dosages that they give to the children. This has in the long run resulted in satisfactorily high survival rates. A type of corticosteroid for example was found to be much more active when compared to another drug of the same class.

About Acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia is a rare bone- marrow or blood cancer which has over the years become the most common type of childhood leukemia. In the US, Hunger said there is a range of 2800 to 3000 cases of ALL that are diagnosed. As the most common type of cancer among children, leukemia usually occurs due to the body producing too many white blood cells that are abnormal which in turn harms the immune system. Various symptoms of this disease include bruising, diarrhea and frequent infections. The acute form of this cancer tends to progress incredibly quickly if chemotherapy is not used to treat the cancer.

Doctors are yet to know exactly what causes acute lymphoblastic leukemia. However, risk factors are known such as having a sibling who has leukemia as well as having radiation or chemotherapy treatment for any other condition. In the study, it was found that the increase in the rate of survival increased for all the ethnic and racial groups, for both sexes and also for all the age groups apart from infants who were below 1 year old. As the study continued, so did the rate of survival increase as well?

Childhood leukemia has a cure at last

The research included over acute lymphoblastic leukemia 21000 suffering from acute lymphoblastic leukemia aged between 0 and 22 years. One of the experts said that the findings of the study were an indicator of the great progress made in ensuring that a cure for acute lymphoblastic leukemia is available. Dr. Arlene Redner said that it as incredibly amazing that it is now possible to treat the disease even without knowledge of why it occurs in the first place.

The study also shows that children with ALL are now able to get effective treatment for the disease and lead normal lives thereafter. The study showed that any child in the US can get the therapy regardless of where they are. Treatment is available in both small and national treatment centers alike.