Follow-up exams and tests include careful physical exams and lab tests and sometimes might include imaging tests. The schedule for these check-ups will depend on the type and subtype of leukaemia, the treatment given and other factors.
Some children and caregivers may have emotional or psychological issues that need to be addressed during and after treatment. Depending on their age, they may also have some problems with normal functioning and school work. These types of issues can often be helped with support and encouragement.
Most children with leukaemia have no known risk factors, so there is no sure way to prevent these leukaemias from developing.
Most childhood cancers do not have a known cause. Less than 5% of all cancers in childhood are caused by a mutation which can be passed from one generation to the next.
The cure rate in childhood ALL has increased tremendously, and at present, approximately 70-80% of children with ALL are potentially cured because of the major advances in diagnosis, development of rational use of combination chemotherapy, specific central nervous system (CNS) preventive therapy and improved supportive care.
