One in four children with leukemia not taking maintenance medication, study shows
Tuesday, June 3, 2014 - 06:03
in Health & Medicine
An estimated 25 percent of children in remission from acute lymphocytic leukemia are missing too many doses of an essential maintenance medication that minimizes their risk of relapse, according to a study. Acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), a cancer of the white blood cells, is the most common form of childhood cancer. While more than 95 percent of children with ALL enter remission within a month of receiving initial cancer therapy, one in five will relapse. In order to remain cancer-free, children in remission must take a form of oral chemotherapy every day for two years.