Search Results
Blake
Blake was recently diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), and is now in interim maintenance.
It all started with unexpected wrist and leg pain that turned into three years worth of treatments and procedures. We were told he was anemic so we took him in for iron supplements. He then got very constipated and had terrible side and tummy pains, which led us back into the ER. They gave us laxatives and sent us home.
Barry
I was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma in May of 2003. The diagnosis came after three or four months of tests attempting to diagnose a lump from my neck (which was ultimately removed). My wife and I were told that I had a disease that was considered treatable but not curable. My particular sub-type, follicular, has a tendency to reoccur. I was referred to MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. The staging test results showed I had a very small amount of the disease on the whole, but it was present in my bone marrow, which is considered Stage IV, or
Ryan
At 22 years old, I was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). My first hospitalization was a month long which was followed by four more hospital stays for my chemotherapy treatments. In between each of those hospitalizations were home nursing visits, blood transfusions, doctor’s appointments, and even more hospitalizations to treat potentially life-threatening infections. I lost a total of 40 pounds throughout those months. Despite the many struggles I encountered during those months, I was able to successfully complete my treatments.
Nicole
I’m an eight-year survivor of leukemia. I was a happy, healthy young adult. I noticed my body was bruising, and I would fall asleep at work. I didn’t think anything of it, but the bruising kept coming. I have twin girls, and on their birthday, July 1, I went to the ER. They ran all kinds of tests. I felt fine actually. They came back and were talking about white blood counts and oncologists. I knew right then and there it was cancer. I had an appointment with an oncologist on July 5, my mom’s birthday, and went back to the ER. This time I was admitted. I had no idea what was going on.
Kailash
On April 20, my 79-year-old father was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) after a routine blood test. A scientist, he explored all of his options thoroughly. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) was instrumental in providing us with accurate, up-to-date information about AML. He has chosen to prioritize his quality of life. Instead of chemo, he is spending his final chapter with friends, family, and favorite activities.
Ken
I have the unique opportunity to be both a bone marrow donor and a stem cell recipient in my journey!
In the 1980s, I registered with the C.W. Bill Young Bone Marrow Donation program while stationed at the Naval Hospital in Long Beach, CA.
Treatment
It's important that your doctor is experienced in treating patients with chronic leukemia or works in consultation with a chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) specialist. This type of specialist is called a hematologist oncologist.
Types of CLL TreatmentCurrent therapies do not offer patients a cure for CLL, but there are treatments that help manage the disease. Doctors use several types of approaches and treatment for adults with CLL, some at different stages:
Treatment
It's important that your doctor is experienced in treating people who have chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) or works in consultation with a hematologist oncologist who has experience treating CMML patients.
Types of CMML TreatmentIn most cases, CMML can't be cured, but it can be treated. Doctors use several types of treatment for adults with CMML, although there's no one standard drug therapy for the disease:
Diagnosis
Diagnosing chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) usually involves a series of repeated tests, including blood and bone marrow tests. Your doctor usually can't confirm a diagnosis of CMML with one lab test result that shows abnormal blood counts. Instead, he or she will monitor you over a period of time with repeated lab tests that show abnormal blood counts. This is done to rule out other diagnoses.
Bone marrow testing involves two steps usually done at the same time in a doctor's office or a hospital:
Signs and Symptoms
The signs and symptoms of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) are common to other, less serious illnesses. However, if you're troubled by any of the following symptoms, see your doctor:
It is common for people with AML to feel a loss of well-being because of the underproduction of normal bone marrow cells.
Symptoms of a low red blood cell count (called “anemia”) include:
Watch and Wait
A small percentage of people can manage their hairy cell leukemia with their doctors using a watch-and-wait approach. By using the watch-and-wait method, your doctor can monitor your condition with regular physical exams and lab tests. You won't take any drugs or undergo any treatment during this period.
You may feel uncomfortable because you know that you have cancer, yet you're not being treated right away. Rest assured that the watch-and-wait approach lets you avoid therapy's side effects until you need treatment.
Dr. Wu
Catherine Wu, M.D., is focused on chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). One aspect of her research is to gain greater understanding of the genetic underpinnings of CLL. She and her colleagues are studying the role that a mutated gene – SF3BL - plays in the development of CLL in order to develop improved strategies to treat CLL. Another focus on her lab is to develop an immunotherapy approach to treating CLL. She is working on employing a CLL-specific antigen to develop a personalized vaccine for patients with CLL. Dr.
Follow-Up Care
Click here for information about follow-up care, including what to expect, long-term and late effects of treatment, survivorship clinics, and other resources such as The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) treatment guidelines.
Related Links- Download or order The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's factsheet Hairy Cell Leukemia
Lisa
It was 2009. Obama had just been sworn in as president, captain Sully successfully landed United Airlines flight 1549 on the Hudson River during an aircraft malfunction, and all souls on board survived.
Childhood ALL
About Childhood ALLBecause of new and better therapies, cancer survival rates for children have improved dramatically during the last several decades. Scientists continue to search for the causes of childhood leukemia so they can develop better treatments with less toxic side effects.
Signs and Symptoms
People who have chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) may not have any symptoms at first. Often, patients learn they have CML after a routine physical exam or a blood test. CML signs and symptoms tend to develop gradually. Those with symptoms often report experiencing:
Refractory and Relapsed Childhood ALL
Most children with ALL are cured with standard chemotherapy treatments. But about 15 percent of young patients have ALL that returns after remission. This is referred to as a “relapse” of the disease (or “relapsed ALL”). Some children are unable to achieve a remission because their cancer does not respond to treatment. In these cases, the disease is referred to as “refractory” (or “refractory ALL”).
Austin
Four were spoken that day. Four crushing, breathtaking words, “Your son has cancer.” My world, my life, and my dreams for my son’s future suddenly halted while the rest of the world kept going on around us on May 14, 2011. Only days before, I was deciding what theme to have for his third birthday party and what outfit he would wear for his pictures. Days later, my husband and I were signing consents for the specific protocol of poison that would be pumped into Austin and having to digest the laundry list of possible side effects.
Monica
As a First Connection® volunteer with The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) for almost two years, I have had the opportunity to connect with patients and survivors to share their stories and experiences while battling this deadly illness. Every day I come across so many touching and courageous stories that inspire me to do more and more to support this cause.
Kylie
Kylie Lynn Branch was diagnosed with T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) on January 22, 2015, just two days before her second birthday.
Lynn
My wife, Lynn Isaacson, was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in October 2018. After three failed treatment approaches, she passed away on March 26, 2019, 162 days after diagnosis. From her diagnosis to her death, just 162 days passed. Of the 20,220 days she lived here on Earth, and the 12,047 days we loved each other on Earth – the disease was only with us for 162 days.
Stephanie
I was diagnosed with stage 2 Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) in 2000 and had seven months of chemotherapy (ABVD) and 20 rounds of radiation. I have not had a reoccurrence of HL, but in 2014, I was diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). I see my oncologist every four months to check my white blood count, and so far, I am still in a watch-and-wait situation. I work full-time in a high-level, stressful job, have two children, and thankfully, have the energy to do it all and have not had to resort to any treatment yet.
Dr. Ghobrial
Irene Ghobrial, M.D., is trying to identify what causes myeloma cells to become drug resistant. She is also leading research to try to understand how to treat premalignant conditions like monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) and smoldering myeloma before they become the more deadly acute myeloid leukemia and myeloma, respectively. Dr. Ghobrial, along with DFCI’s Robert Soiffer, M.D., also leads LLS and DFCI’s collaboration through LLS’s Therapy Acceleration Program to bring clinical trials to local community cancer centers. Dr.
Treatment Outcomes
Parents of JMML patients are advised to discuss survival information with their child’s hematologist-oncologist. Keep in mind that outcome data can show how other children with JMML responded to treatment, but it cannot predict how any one child will respond.