Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) treatment types and side effects

When leukaemia cells are destroyed, they release a chemical called uric acid, which can damage the kidneys. Drugs called allopurinol and rasburicase can help. It’s also important to drink plenty of fluids to reduce the risk of kidney problems.

At the start of active treatment, the main side effect is that you produce fewer blood cells. This is known as bone marrow suppression. This can result in a low platelet count, which can lead to heavy bleeding. A platelet transfusion can help to protect you against this.

Another result of bone marrow suppression is low levels of a protein called haemoglobin, which can cause anaemia. This can make you feel tired and out of breath, but regular blood transfusions can help.

Because ALL and its treatment reduce your white blood cell count, you’ll be more vulnerable to infections. So your healthcare team will take care to protect you from infection at all times. They will give you an antibiotic to lower your risk of getting pneumonia (a serious chest infection), and a drug called acyclovir to stop you getting shingles, a virus that affects the skin around a nerve.

You may also be offered a treatment called a growth factor (commonly known as G-CSF). This stimulates your bone marrow to make more white blood cells called neutrophils and helps you to recover from the effects of treatment.