Survival Rates and Outlook for Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL)
Acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) is a fast-growing cancer primarily affecting children. It has high cure rates in this group, though survival rates are lower for adults but gradually improving.
Factors influencing survival rates include age at diagnosis, subtype of ALL, and how quickly a patient responds to treatment, with younger patients and certain subtypes generally having better outcomes. People with subtypes such as pre-B, common, or early pre-B generally have better outcomes compared to those with mature B-cell (Burkitt) leukemia or certain chromosomal abnormalities.
Coping strategies for ALL patients include seeking support from healthcare teams, utilizing resources from organizations like the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, and considering complementary treatments to manage stress and improve quality of life.
What is acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL)?
Acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) is a form of cancer. Each part of its name tells you something about the cancer itself:
Acute. The cancer is often fast-growing and requires early detection and treatment. Without treatment, bone marrow cells can't properly mature, and a person won't have enough healthy, mature bone marrow. Bone marrow is replaced by rapidly growing abnormal lymphocytes.
Lymphocytic. The cancer affects the lymphocytes of a person's white blood cells (WBCs). Another term that may be used is lymphoblastic.
Leukemia. Leukemia is a cancer of the blood cells.
Several types of ALL exist. The survival rates for ALL depend on what type a person has.
ALL is the most common childhood cancer, but it has high cure rates in children. Although survival rates aren't as high when it develops in adults, they're steadily improving.
What are the survival rates for ALL?
The National Cancer Institute (NCI) estimates 5,960 people will receive a diagnosis of ALL in the United States in 2018. About 1,470 people will die from the disease in 2018.
Several factors can determine survival rates, such as age at diagnosis and subtype of ALL.
The five-year survival rate in the United States is 68.1 percent, reports the NCI. However, these numbers are steadily improving. From 1975 to 1976, the five-year survival rate for all ages was under 40 percent.
Although most people who receive a diagnosis of ALL are children, the highest percentage of Americans with ALL who pass away are between the ages of 65 and 74.
In general, about 40 percent of adults with ALL are considered cured at some point during their treatment, estimates American Cancer Society. However, these cure rates depend on a variety of factors, such as the subtype of ALL and age at diagnosis.
A person is 'cured' of ALL if they're in complete remission for five years or more. But because there's a chance of the cancer coming back, doctors can't say with 100 percent certainty that a person is cured. The most they can say is whether or not there are signs of cancer at the time.
In children
According to the NCI, the five-year survival rate for American children with ALL is around 85 percent. This means that 85 percent of Americans with childhood ALL live at least five years after they receive a diagnosis with cancer.
Survival rates for ALL, especially for children, continue to improve over time as new treatments are developed.
Doctors may consider many of these children to be cured of their cancer if they've been in complete remission for more than five years. Remission means that there are reduced signs and symptoms of the cancer.
Remission can be partial or complete. In complete remission, you have no signs and symptoms of the cancer. ALL can return following remission, but treatment can begin again.
The NCI states that among American children with ALL, an estimated 98 percent achieve remission. Remission means a child doesn't have any signs or symptoms of the condition and blood cell counts are within normal limits.
What factors influence survival rate?
A number of factors can affect a person's survival rate following an ALL diagnosis, such as a person's age or WBC count at time of diagnosis. Doctors consider each of these factors when providing a person's outlook.
However, it's important to remember that this outlook is the doctor's estimation of survival given the diagnostic information they currently have.
What effect does age have on survival rate?
According to the NCI, some studies have found that people have a better chance of survival if they're 35 years old or under. In general, older adults with ALL will typically have a poorer outlook than younger people.
Children are considered higher risk if they're over age 10.
What effect does ALL type have on survival rate?
People with cell subtypes, including pre-B, common, or early pre-B, are generally considered to have better survival chances than those with mature B-cell (Burkitt) leukemia.
Chromosomal abnormalities
Many different types of ALL exist. The cancers that cause ALL can create different changes to a person's chromosomes. A doctor called a pathologist will examine the cancerous cells under a microscope.
Several different types of chromosomal abnormalities are associated with a poorer outlook. These include:
Ph1-positive t(9;22) abnormalities
BCR/ABL-rearranged leukemia
t(4;11)
deletion of chromosome 7
trisomy 8
If your doctor makes an ALL diagnosis, they'll tell you what type of leukemia cells you have.
What effect does treatment response have on survival rate?
People who respond quickly to treatments for ALL may have a better outlook. When it takes longer to reach remission, the outlook is often not as good.
If a person's treatment takes longer than four weeks to go into remission, this can affect their outlook.
What effect does the spread of ALL have on survival rate?
ALL can spread to the cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) in the body. The greater the spread to nearby organs, including CSF, the poorer the outlook.
What effect does WBC count have on survival rate?
Those with a very high WBC count at diagnosis (usually higher than 50,000 to 100,000) have a poorer outlook.
How can a person cope and seek support?
Hearing a doctor tell you that you have cancer is never easy. However, many types of ALL are highly treatable. While you undergo treatments, there are many avenues of support available to help you through this journey.
Some of the methods you can use are listed below:
Research the disease
Learning more from respected, well-researched organizations can help you become as informed as possible about your condition and care.
Examples of excellent resources include:
Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
American Cancer Society
Reach out to your healthcare team
Cancer treatment often involves a team approach to your care. Many cancer facilities have cancer navigators who can put you in touch with resources and support.
Many health professionals can support you or a loved one. They include:
psychiatrists
social workers
dietitians
child life specialists
case managers
chaplains
Consider complementary treatments
Treatments that promote relaxation and stress relief can complement your medical treatments. Examples could include massage or acupuncture.
Always talk to your doctor before beginning any complementary treatments such as herbs, vitamins, or special diets.
Create a share point for friends and loved ones
You'll likely encounter many people who would like to help or receive updates on how you're doing throughout your treatments.
If you're open to sharing these updates, consider webpages such as Caring Bridge. For friends who want to help, there are resources such as Meal Train. It allows friends to sign up for meal deliveries.
It's important to remember there are many friends, family members, and organizations who wish to help you in your treatment and recovery from ALL.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
29 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Tomatoes Can Sunburn—Here's What You Need To Know To Prevent Sunscald
Key Takeaways Provide shade during peak sun. Don't over-prune; let leaves provide coverage. Plant tomatoes early enough so they mature before extreme summer love and need a lot of sunlight and heat to grow. But too much of a good thing can cause the plant to get sunscald–the plant equivalent of a sunburn. 'Sunscald in tomatoes can happen in all parts of the country, but it is more prominent in the South where the days are longer and the weather is hotter,' says Greg Key, gardener and president of Hoss Tools in Georgia. What is Sunscald? Tomatoes need plenty of sunlight to produce fruit, typically around six to eight hours a day. Too much sun and heat can cause tomatoes to get sunscald. 'Sunscald happens when the tomatoes are hit with the direct waves of the sun without any protection, similar to sunburn on us humans,' says Key. According to Jennifer McDonald, certified organic garden specialist and co-founder of Garden Girls, a garden design company based in Houston, Texas, she says sunscald occurs with 'extreme heat coupled with direct sunlight.' If you're experiencing a heat wave or increased temperatures, there's usually no need to worry. 'A few days of higher-than-normal temperatures usually don't cause sunscald,' says McDonald. What Sunscald Looks Like Sunscald can affect the leaves as well as the fruit. 'Leaves with white or brown spots, and tomatoes with cracks or patches of blotchy white, yellow, or gray spots are all indications of sunscald,' says McDonald. Fruit that is exposed due to over-pruning can also be more prone to sunscald. 'For example, if you've spent the day pruning your tomato plants and removing diseased foliage, you'll often see tomatoes in bunches that are exposed to direct sunlight,' says McDonald. 'When the leaves are gone, so is the umbrella effect.' So before you go overboard with pruning tomato stems and leaves, think about how the foliage is providing natural shade. Why Planting Tomatoes Early in the South is Important When you plant your tomatoes ensure they grow properly and reach all growth stages. As a guide, you want to plant after the last freeze in spring. 'In the South, we plant our tomatoes right after Valentine's Day to allow them enough time to pollinate, bear fruit, and ripen before the extreme heat takes over in late June,' says McDonald. 'Once the extreme heat is upon us, tomato growth all but stops completely.' She says that's when it's time to harvest or remove the plants. Choose Tomatoes that Thrive in Your Climate The type of tomato plant you grow is important to minimize the chance of sunscald. 'In the South where sunscald is a serious problem, planting the correct type and variety can help with this issue,' says Key. He recommends two tomato plants: 'Red Snapper and Hossinator are two varieties that thrive and have minimal sunscald.' He explains that both are determinate tomatoes that are bred to have little to no pruning, dense foliage, outstanding fruit size and to be very high in yield production. Oftentimes, bigger-sized tomatoes are more susceptible to sunscald. 'Larger beefsteak tomatoes take longer to grow and have more surface area which means a higher chance of direct sunlight exposure and greater risk for sunscald,' says McDonald. If your USDA Zone has very hot summers, you may want to grow smaller-sized tomatoes. 'In zones with exceptionally hot summers, choosing smaller indeterminate cherry tomatoes will result in better outcomes and less sunscald,' says McDonald. How to Prevent Sunscald Sunscald can be prevented. 'Sunscald is a physiological condition, unlike fungal diseases in tomatoes, which are harder to prevent and treat,' says McDonald. Here are two ways to reduce the chances of sunscald. Use a Shade Cloth Although tomatoes love the sun, putting up a shade cloth can help them out significantly during the hottest parts of the day. 'This is a simple but effective way to ensure that fruit-bearing plants receive enough sunlight but are protected from the intensity of direct rays,' says McDonald. 'There are a number of options when choosing shade cloth, with percentages ranging from 30-75% shade coverage. When in a pinch, an umbrella can provide shade to growing plants.' Don't Over-prune Pruning helps promote fruit growth. But overdoing it can cause your tomato plants harm. 'Over the years there's been a growing practice to prune tomatoes heavily to maximize the size of fruit and produce more fruit per plant,' says Key. 'This strategy certainly works, but the downside to the pruning method is you leave the fruit exposed to the sun, and that is when the damage occurs.' According to McDonald, 'Pruning tomato plants can become quite addicting, but it's beneficial to avoid over-pruning during the peak of summer.' She says that even sunburned leaves can provide protection to delicate fruit. Even crispy leaves are fine to leave on a tomato plant if fungal diseases aren't present, she adds. Can You Eat Them? Typically, you can eat a sunscalded tomato if there isn't any mold. According to McDonald, 'While they may look a little funky, they are still edible, assuming that the white patches have not become black, which could indicate mold.' Sometimes a tomato just has a yellow or white blemish. 'If the sunscald is just a blotchy patch on the tomato that hasn't blistered, it's fine,' she says. 'Cut around it and enjoy the rest of that juicy tomato!' But there are some signs when you shouldn't eat a sunscald tomato. 'If your tomato looks sunken or blistered or has deep cracks that have exposed the flesh, you're better off tossing it,' she says. Read the original article on Southern Living Solve the daily Crossword
CBS News
42 minutes ago
- CBS News
New Jersey Wind Phone offers grieving visitors a way to connect with deceased loved ones
A newly dedicated Wind Phone on the grounds of Cornerstone Church in Williamstown, New Jersey, offers a symbolic tether to communicate with deceased loved ones for grieving members of the community. A dedication was held on Wednesday for hospice care provider Angelic Health's Wind Phone – a disconnected rotary phone and a park bench set in nature, where you can sit and share your feelings, process your grief, pick up the phone and make a symbolic call to a lost loved one. The concept of the Wind Phone began in Japan in 2010 when creator Itaru Sasaki purchased an old phone booth and set it up in his garden as a way to grieve and communicate with his cousin, who had died of cancer. Since 2010, other Wind Phone projects have popped up in several countries, including hundreds in the United States. The idea for the newly created Wind Phone was a word-of-mouth project, said Angelic Health's bereavement coordinator, Ken Jackson, who worked with several others, including curator of the New Jersey Wind Phone project, Amy Dawson, to see the project through. "There are lots of strategies to cope with grief," Jackson explained, "some don't want to journal or vent. Sometimes the grief can get stored up." The physical and tactile act of picking up a phone is a great way to "feeling the connection again and processing the loss of your loved one." While on the grounds of Cornerstone Church, the Wind Phone is open to the public. To find out more about the project or to create your own Wind Phone, visit
Vogue
an hour ago
- Vogue
Hailey Bieber Opens up About Her Perioral Dermatitis—and Shares Exactly How She Deals With a Flare Up
Though we all know Hailey Bieber for her 'glazed donut' skin, even the most dewy and clear-complexioned among us will suffer from some kind of skin issue. Celebrities—and billion dollar-acquired beauty business moguls—get spots, rashes, and irritated skin too. Dr. Mary L. Stevenson, MD at NYU Langone Health, previously defined perioral dermatitis for Vogue as 'a skin condition which results in dry, flaky red skin as well as red bumps or papules. It can look like acne although it is a distinct diagnosis with some overlap in treatment. In addition it can be itchy, red, dry, and swollen.' What that looks like in reality: every couple of months, you can experience irritated, uncomfortable rashes on a concentrated area of your face (usually, the mouth) that are next to impossible to cover up, and, takes a long time to clear up. Perioral dermatitis is most common among women between the ages 25 to 49, and can last for weeks or months. Bieber took to her Instagram Story to share her recent experience of a perioral dermatitis flare up, posting a makeup-free selfie to show the small bumps and texture on the lower half of her face. She captioned her Story saying that it 'always flares when I'm traveling a lot, sleep deprived, hormones, the wrong SPF, new products, stress.' Derms can't be totally sure yet what causes DP—the research isn't there yet—but plenty of DP sufferers will say similar. (This writer included—anything from a new product gifted to me at Christmas that has some fragrance or actives I've been unacquainted with, to a few summer holidays, or a particularly stressful stretch of work can stir the bumpy skin).
