What is Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL)?
Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a type of cancer that affects the white blood cells, which normally help fight infections. In ALL, these cells do not grow or develop properly, taking over the bone marrow where blood is produced and crowding out healthy cells.
ALL is the most common type of childhood cancer, accounting for 35% of cancers in children. Each year, approximately 2,900 children and adolescents in the United States are diagnosed with ALL. However, because its symptoms often mimic common illnesses, ALL can be difficult to diagnose early.
Common Signs and Symptoms of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia
The symptoms of acute lymphoblastic leukemia can vary but often include:
- Fatigue or weakness: Low red blood cell levels cause anemia, leading to tiredness, shortness of breath, and pale skin.
- Frequent infections or fevers: A low white blood cell count weakens the immune system, making infections harder to fight.
- Easy bruising or bleeding: A reduced number of platelets causes slow healing of cuts, frequent nosebleeds, or easy bruising.
- Bone pain or joint swelling: A high number of leukemia cells in the bone marrow can cause discomfort or swelling in bones and joints.
If your child is experiencing these symptoms persistently, it’s important to consult a doctor.
How is Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Diagnosed?
To diagnose acute lymphoblastic leukemia, doctors use blood tests and bone marrow analysis to identify the cancerous cells. Early detection is key to improving treatment outcomes.
Treatment Options for Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia
Treatment for ALL depends on the child’s risk group—standard (low), high, or very high risk—and the specific subtype of ALL, such as B-cell, T-cell, or Philadelphia chromosome-positive ALL. Tailored treatments help improve outcomes while minimizing unnecessary side effects. Common treatments include:
- Chemotherapy: Uses drugs to kill or stop the growth of cancer cells.
- Radiation therapy: High-energy x-rays or radiation target and destroy cancer cells.
- Stem cell transplant: Replaces the patient’s damaged blood-forming cells with healthy cells from a donor after chemotherapy and radiation.
- Targeted therapy: Focuses on attacking cancer cells while leaving healthy cells unharmed.
- Immunotherapy: Boosts the immune system to recognize and attack leukemia cells.
Advances in ALL Research and Survival Rates
Decades of childhood cancer research have significantly improved survival rates for ALL. In the 1950s, an ALL diagnosis was nearly always fatal. Today, the 5-year survival rate is about 90% for children under 15 and 75% for adolescents aged 15–19.
Researchers are now focused on finding safer, less toxic treatments and effective therapies for children whose leukemia returns after treatment. For example, Dr. Anya Levinson at UCSF is studying why some children become resistant to commonly used glucocorticoid treatments. Her research aims to overcome this resistance and improve survival rates.
How You Can Help
Despite advancements, there’s still work to be done to ensure every child with ALL has a chance to survive and thrive. You can support groundbreaking research and give kids a brighter future.
Together, we can help fight childhood cancer and give kids a lifetime. Donate
Learn about one of our recent Research Outcomes dealing with ALL: Landmark Clinical Trial Results Offer New Hope for Kids with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL)
