Pediatric Leukemia

My E 2 1 / 2 year old son was diagnosed with Wilms tumor as an infant, has won his battle, and was recently diagnosed with secondary acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Her cancer is probably caused by a secondary cancer chemotherapy the first time when he fought Wilms. I somehow passed his projections, he has every three months in October but at the end of November, we started noticing he was not quite himself, and he was diagnosed on December 19.

Treatment varies depending on the subtype of the current AML in children. Treatment is individualized for the patient. Typically, there is induction chemotherapy (1-3 rounds), and when remission is achieved consolidation chemotherapy is given. Treatment is individualized to the subtype of AML. Consolidation chemotherapy is typically 3 laps of a high dose Ara-C. I do not know how will consolidation chemotherapy for other patients, but the protocol of my son includes seven days of chemo and 21 days of hospitalization to recover. He had three rounds of induction chemotherapy (two towers and a third failed attempt successful) and he had three rounds of consolidation chemotherapy. His chemo was supposed to be finished in September but was put back on an intensive chemotherapy after this round because of a new tumor unrelated to leukemia, so depending on what we are not sure whether he will be able to finished chemo in September, but we hope he can.

There are often delays due to low numbers or infection. Delays are expected, and luckily I had her chemo delayed once because of low values. He received other drugs before, during and after administration of doses of chemotherapy to fight against the side effects. It usually takes Zofran (also taken Ativan or Kytril Zofran but most often) to help with nausea and vomiting caused by several drugs in his chemo cocktail. It also takes painkillers several tools to help bone pain he feels.

After consolidation chemotherapy, he will most likely be a bone marrow biopsy to find a complete remission. Hopefully then he will receive his status NED (no evidence of disease). If this is a relapse, he may have a bone marrow or stem cells that involves a strong dose of chemotherapy and intravenous infusion of donor bone marrow or stem cells and about one month to hospital recovering. My son is on the waiting list for transplant from a compatible donor because none of my other children were pretty good games.

If you have other questions or anything, feel free to IM me (crazycanuck) or send me an e-mail (crazycanuckj@yahoo.ca).

Depends on severity. For a small child, they usually need bone marrow or stem cell / cord blood transplant. For the transplant, they usually first need high-dose chemotherapy and total body irradiation may be to clear the marrow before receiving new cells. LAB you need a game of siblings for best results. Or a game of cord blood.

Here's where you find the best info:
http://www.leukemia-lymphoma.org/hm_lls
They also have advisors online, you can chat with.
Best wishes