Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) treatment types and side effects

Some people find it hard to fully understand the details of their treatment when they’re trying to cope with the stress of being diagnosed with ALL. There isn’t a single ‘best’ way to deal with this situation or a right way to feel. Don’t be afraid to ask as many questions as you need to.

Your doctor will recommend a treatment plan and talk to you about what it will involve. Treatment plans are tailored to each individual, so if you meet someone else with ALL, they might be having different treatments. Some treatment programmes (also called protocols) are very intensive (concentrated), while others are less intensive. What’s right for you depends on your age, general health and the type of ALL you have.

ALL becomes more difficult to cure as people get older. We don’t know the reason for this – it could be that the disease itself is different in older people, or it could be because it’s harder for older people to cope with intensive treatment.

Treatment decisions are never based on age alone, but on general health and fitness. Your wishes are always taken into account.

Your treatment plan may need to change at any point. If this happens, your healthcare team will explain why, and talk to you about the different options available to you.

Most people will begin steroid treatment while their treatment plan is being confirmed. The steroids will start working to get rid of the leukaemia cells.

Before your treatment starts, you should talk to your healthcare team about how it might affect your ability to have children, if that’s relevant and important to you.

Active treatment can affect your fertility. Because treatment for ALL has to start so quickly, there usually isn’t time to preserve a woman’s eggs. Men sometimes have a chance to freeze their sperm for the future.

If you do go on to have children, studies have shown that the treatment you’ve had won’t affect their health. Similarly, the likelihood of your child getting ALL would be no greater than for any other child. Your healthcare team will be able to discuss your options with you, and refer you to a fertility department, if appropriate.

All new drugs and treatments are thoroughly tested before they’re made available. After tests in a laboratory, they’re tested on people. Research studies which involve testing new drugs and treatments on people are called clinical trials.

The UK has a proud history of conducting clinical trials in ALL, which have contributed significantly to developing and improving treatments for patients with the disease. It’s highly likely that you will be approached by your healthcare team to consider taking part in one of the ongoing major national trials.

The trial you’re offered will depend on your age and general level of fitness. For example, younger adults are likely to be offered a trial designed for children and young people aged up to 24 years old. Specific information about suitable trials will be given to you at the time.

If you’re not given information about one of the national trials and you think you would be interested, speak to your healthcare team.