Leukemia Blood Cancer Treatment | Bone Marrow Transplant India

Treatment of Leukemias-CML, CLL, AML, ALL

Leukemia is a type of blood cancer and can also be referred to as bone marrow cancer. It involves an abnormal or abrupt increase of the white blood cells in the body.

Leukemia is of several types and some of its common forms are listed below:

• Acute lymphocytic leukemia or ALL

• Chronic lymphocytic leukemia or CLL

• Hairy cell leukemia

• Acute myelogenous leukemia or AML

• Chronic myelogenous leukemia or CML

Treatment of Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML)

Several approaches of treatment line are available for treatment of leukemia as well as for its type like CML. Systemic therapy is the initial method using medication therapy to kill and eradicate the cancerous cells completely. Several drugs are given via bloodstream which reaches out to the cancer cells and destroys them. A hematologist or even an oncologist is the one who provides the required systemic therapy to the patient. Every individual has different requirement and hence the same regimen might not work for all and the doctor can help in analyzing and prescribing the suitable therapy for the patient.

Following are some of the therapies applied for treating CML:

• Targeted therapy: This treatment involves targeting cancerous cells like some genes, tissues, proteins etc which contribute to cancer development. It blocks the center development and hence limits damage to other healthy cells.

• Chemotherapy: This involves the use of the drugs to kill cancer cells by inhibiting their growth cycle. Drugs like hydroxyurea and many more are used individual drug chemotherapy or even a combination therapy is applied if required.

• Immunotherapy: In this one of treatment, the natural defense system of the body or biological therapy is utilized against cancer cells. It utilizes interferons like Alferon, Roferon-A, Intron A etc helps in reducing white blood cells and even reduces Philadelphia chromosome presence by destroying cells contains it. This therapy helps in restoring the impaired immune system.

Although, a series of tests are required by your doctor to decide the treatment of leukemia and its line of treatment.

Treatment of Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL):

Treatment of leukemia varies as per the type of leukemia and as well as patient requirement. But in case of chronic lymphocytic leukemia treatment also depends upon at which stage the diagnosis happens. Early diagnosis might only require monitoring but if the stage is more advanced than chemotherapy can be applied initially for the treatment of leukemia of such type.

There are chances that CLL can be controlled initially for many years by continuing treatment of leukemia. In some cases, treatment of leukemia effects initially causing remission but usually, it is accompanied by a relapse very soon which again needs treatment.

Bone marrow transplant or stem cell transplants help in treating CLL condition completely for sufficiently long periods. There are few other options for treatment of leukemia mainly in CLL type which are used if chemotherapy fails and before the transplant can be approached.

These include:

• Radiotherapy is used to shrink the enlarged lymph glands or even swollen spleen. In rare cases spleen surgery much also be a requirement.

• Medications like antifungals, antibacterials, and antibiotics can be used to minimize infection chances during the treatment of leukemia.

• Blood transfusions might be required if any symptoms of anemia are observed.

• Granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) injects can be used to boost up low white blood cell counts to maintain the immune system.

• Immunoglobin replacement therapy is also used to help treat and prevent infections during the treatment of leukemia.

Treatment of Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML):

Treatment of leukemia specifically for AML type involves the application of several different biological agents, chemotherapy schedules, and stem cell transplant. But the type of treatment can only be suggested by the doctor by a thorough and complete evaluation of the condition. Since every case of AML cannot be treated with certain available methods and some complicated cases of relapse or refractory disease involve additional requirements during the treatment of leukemia.

Treatment of Acute Lymphoid Leukemia (ALL)

Treatment of leukemia mainly for ALL type includes the application of long-term chemotherapy. Over the past few years, a more intensive chemotherapy regimen approach is been used by the doctors for treating ALL. But chemotherapy regimens do provide some side effects like very low white blood cell count. So another treatment and drug use might have to be incorporated in order to deal with the complete situation.

However, the overall treatment of leukemia for ALL is split up into 3 phases:

1) Induction of remission period

2) Consolidation or intensification

3) Maintenance

Cost of Leukemia Treatment in India:

Treatment of leukemia is done at very affordable prices in India, in comparison with the other developed countries offered prices. The basic cost of treatment of leukemia varies depending on its type, stage, and age of the patient. Because all those factors also impact the complication or other disease appearance during the treatment of leukemia which greatly affects the pocket of the patient. Usually, In India treatment of leukemia varies between 10 lakh to 20 lakh. A fixed price can be provided by the hospital, as per the disease status and requirement of the patient and the type of hospital approached for the treatment. The patient might have to undergo several tests and few days of hospital stay so all this greatly impacts the price of treatment of leukemia. The more is the hospitalization period of the patient more billing will add up. Similarly more complicated the case more involvement of another line of treatments might increase the cost of treatment of leukemia.

Related FAQs:

Q1: Is BMT the only treatment of Leukemia?

A: No, BMT is not the only line of treatment for leukemia. As there are other treatments approaches available but BMT is considered to be the most effective one which is applied when no other option can cure the disease in any way.

Q2: Which is the best country for the treatment of Leukemia and why?

A: India has recently become a big hub of medical tourism. Because India offers several good quality treatments with economic prices to the entire world. The hospitality offered by India is remarkable as well.

Q3: What is the success rate of Leukemia’s treatment?

A: A very good success rate of leukemia treatment is available all around the world and India is also nowhere less than providing those global standard successful leukemia treatments. It fairly gives the patient a good amount of survival with improved quality of life without the disease.

Leukemia Treatment for Pakistan’s Patients

Leukemia is one of the most commonly found cancers amongst Pakistan’s patients. It involves a maximum of children who are affected by this disease and are looking for leukemia treatment. Nearly 30% of the involved cases of leukemia are children of different age group. Abnormal white blood cell production by the bone marrow leads to this disease. It further has its types depending upon the kind of abnormal cell found in blood like myeloid or lymphoid cells.

In Lymphocytic leukemia, lymphoid cells get affected and cause leukemia.

In Myelogenous leukemia, myeloid cells get affected and cause leukemia.

Acute leukemia might quickly progress and require instant treatment whereas chronic leukemia takes time to progress and show its symptoms and hence can be monitored over time before starting with a particular treatment. Several cases of acute non-lymphocytic/ acute myeloid leukemia or ANLL/AML and chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) undergo the treatment successfully every year in India.

Although India is still striving hard to redefine the healthcare structure for more specialized and advanced treatments and others which are coming each day, however, Indian hospitals are fully equipped in every way to handle cases of ALL, AML, and CML.

How can Pakistan’s patients get leukemia treatment in India?

The Indian government has taken an initiative to make things easy for Pakistan’s patients by allowing Medical Visa. Moreover, India has turned into a global health destination so there is never a no to Pakistan’s patients for medical reasons. The process might require proper documentation and time to get things on track.

So Pakistan’s patients can now easily reach India for treatment and for further assistance and guidance there are numerous applications and websites available for helping medical tourists to find their best hospital.

Leukemia treatment involves chemotherapy session along with radiations followed by Bit procedures to cure the disease completely. In some of the rare cases, there occur chances of disease relapse but such complications can also be handled by the experienced doctors available in India.

What is the prognosis of leukemia in Pakistan’s patients?

Prognosis of this disease has its link with age, the presence of specific genetic markers, WBC count during diagnosis, and response towards treatment from the beginning. Majority of Pakistan’s patients seeking leukemia treatment involve children. Hence, all proper initiatives by the Indian government have been taken to support such Pakistan’s patients who reach out to India for medical help and treatment.

Related FAQs:

1) Q: How is leukemia treatment started for any patient?

A: In order to begin with treatment a proper diagnosis of the disease is required which involves blood and bone marrow tests. In these tests, significant values of immunological as well as cytogenetic markers are evaluated. If the presence of leukemia is confirmed than further tests for checking which other body parts are involved is done. Like lumbar puncture is done to locate leukemia cells in the cerebrospinal fluid of the body.

2) Q: What are the signs to look for the presence of leukemia in any person?

A: Some of the commonly found signs include:

• Abnormal skin bruising and pigmentation or patches due to red blood cell reduction in the body

• Malaise, pallor, bone pain

• Infections

• Hepatomegaly, splenomegaly, lymphadenopathy etc.

3) Q: Is leukemia a serious condition? Is there any safe treatment available?

A: Yes, The disease can turn out to be serious if not treated on time. Since it might involve some serious infections and even complicate the situation by the presence of hepatomegaly, splenomegaly, and lymphadenopathy due to the presence of excessive white blood cells. Bone marrow transplantation followed by chemo sessions is till date considered to be the best option of leukemia treatment till date.

What are the treatment options for leukemia

The leukemia treatment can be decided considering many factors like type or subtype of leukemia, patient’s age, stage of the disease, genetic abnormality, current health condition of the patient etc. Leukemia is mainly a blood cancer in which the affected cells travel throughout the body and spread the disease. So treatment requires initially stopping of disease spread within the body and then complete removal of the body and its cause. Several treatment options have been designed as per the type of leukemia but targeted therapy has its own benefits in treating this disease. Even some of the leukemia cases required a mandatory watchful period to decide what can be the best line of treatment for that particular type.

What are the different leukemia treatment options?

Your doctor can decide the best leukemia treatment option for you after the complete analysis of your condition. Either one or a combination of more leukemia treatment options can be used for the treatment purpose. Following are the few available leukemia treatment options:

Chemotherapy: This therapy works by killing the rapidly dividing cells of the body which are cancer cells but it also acts on normal cells of the hair follicles as they also divide rapidly. This therapy is very often used in CLL and CML as a leukemia treatment either alone or in combination with other options.

Radiation therapy: It is used as a pre-transplant leukemia treatment in most of the spreading leukemia cases to prevent it from further spreading and reaching in the central nervous system.

Stem cell transplant: This is an option for patients with less than 55 years of age. In this damaged stem cells are replaced by healthy new stem cells. It reboots the immune system again after blood cell formation begins by the healthy stem cells.

Targeted therapy: This leukemia treatment is effective in treating some types of leukemia in which few medications are administered to target cancer cells and inhibiting their cell cycle and division. A particular hinderance is created in mechanisms supporting cancer cell growth by the medicines. This therapy even has fewer side effects than chemo or radiation therapy and even has a particular target approach which is more effective in most of the cases. TKIs or Tyrosine inhibitors are the used target enzyme drugs which interrupt the cancer cell growth in the targeted therapy.

Watchful waiting: Chronic lymphocytic leukemia is one of the exceptions which needs this leukemia treatment option as early stages do not progress with speed and hence any treatment is not needed during that. This is even not the same as foregoing treatment and hence do not affect the survival of the patient in any positive way. Several symptoms are closely observed like fever, fatigue, sweating, lymph node enlargement, spleen or liver anomalies, abnormal weight loss, abnormal cell count of the blood, and progression of symptoms etc. So proper active surveillance is required until some viable treatment option can be decided after a complete analysis of the disease.

Supportive therapy: This mainly involves managing the expected or unexpected complications which arise during leukemia treatment.

Is there any other way by which a healthcare team can plan a leukemia treatment?

The healthcare team considers the following main types of leukemia presence in any patient before starting any treatment therapy:

• Acute Myelogenous Leukemia

• Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia

• Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia

• Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

Related FAQs:

1) Q: What are the risk factors of leukemia?

A: Leukemia in its early stages might produce flu-like symptoms in a person. This might let the condition of leukemia go undetected. But in case you have any of the following risk factors than probably your flu-like symptoms can be due to leukemia:

• Chemotherapy and radiation therapy

• Genetic or blood disorders

• 65 and above age

• Down syndrome

• A family history of blood cancer

• Tobacco usage

• Exposure to certain industrial solvents or chemicals

2) Q: Can LGL type of leukemia be hereditary?

A: No, this type of leukemia is only acquired after birth. Although, LGL involves mutations in the leukemic cells and these are an acquired type of mutations. Further, these cannot even be transferred by genes to the offsprings in any way.

3) Q: Is there any particular follow-up care required after leukemia treatment?

A: Every treatment or procedure requires follow-up care. So during leukemia treatment, you might have to go for follow-up visits after regular intervals because it allows your doctor to monitor the health progress during the recovery period.

CML and CLL Treatment for UAE’s patients

Leukemia is a known cancer of the blood in which the entire blood-forming cells gets impaired along with tissues like bone marrow and the lymphatic system. Leukemia is of several types and forms. Some of them exist mainly in children whereas others predominantly occur in adults.

What CML and CLL treatment options to rely on?

CML and CLL treatment is a complex one and involves many factors and the main is a type of leukemia. Treatment is always diagnosis specific. Early diagnosis might not be easy but that is the key for early CML and CLL treatment. The best available option for CML and CLL treatment is a bone marrow transplant (BMT). In this procedure, chemo and radiation therapy followed by allogeneic or autologous transplant is done for complete CML and CLL treatment.

What is the difference between CML and CLL?

Chronic myelogenous leukemia or CML is one of the few uncommon types of blood cancers in which myeloid cells are affected. It is acquired after birth and is not hereditary. It is also known by another name of chronic myeloid leukemia. As per the name chronic, this cancer progresses slower than any other acute forms of cancer. Also, CML is found more in adults rather in children.

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia or CLL is cancer of the bone marrow and blood. This one being chronic progress slowly and taken a long time to even show symptoms initially. In this type of cancer, lymphocytes are affected which normally fight as a defense mechanism against all infections. It is observed mainly in elderly patients.

Several UAE’s patients come to India for CML and CLL treatment. Initially, for UAE’s patients, it can be difficult to understand the different types of leukemia and get the right diagnosis and finding the best hospital for CML and CLL treatment in India. But nowadays this has been simplified by online websites and applications which provide all the detailed information about hospitals. So finding CML and CLL treatment in India is now just a click away.

How can UAE’s patients get CML and CLL treatment in India?

India is still growing in the field of medical tourism and the growth is expected to reach $ 8 billion in the upcoming years, as per SPEC data. Endeavors are being taken to expand this market and a further increase in medical travel is bound to happen. India is turning into a medical hub for all sorts of procedures like BMT for CML and CLL treatment.

More and more Gulf countries are approaching India for medical treatment. Nearly 8 percent of the medical tourism is contributed by gulf participation and out of the 5% solely is of UAE’s patients.

The reason of UAE’s patients reaching out to India for a medical procedure like CML and CLL treatment is mainly due to lack of procedure availabilities in UAE along with lesser wide options and limited professionals to handle complicated cases. Also, the prices offered by Indian hospitals are just a fraction of what other countries are charging which encourages UAE’s patients to fall back on India for economic treatments.

Related FAQs:

Q: Is chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) a hereditary disease?

A: No, unlike CLL this one is not linked with generations and hereditary. Instead, CML is caused by an acquired mutation of genes after birth.

Q: Why CML condition is linked with so much of symptomatic pain?

A: Random episodes of joint and bone pain is caused by CML because it causes expansion of the bone marrow which is caused by the white blood cell buildup inside the marrow.

Q: Can chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) cause multiple cancers?

A: In CLL condition there is an increased risk of developing other cancers like skin, melanoma, digestive tract, and lung etc. Hence it becomes important to seek CML and CLL treatment immediately if a diagnosis gets confirmed.

Leukemia Treatment for UAE’s Patients

In the past few years, several UAE’s patients are coming to India for leukemia treatment. It is mainly because of limited leukemia treatment options available in UAE and economic Indian medical treatment pricing etc.

Every patient suffering from leukemia needs a specific leukemia treatment as per the condition. This requires a medical team of professional and number of equipment. Indian hospitals are equipped in both especially the cancer specialty hospitals. Some of the leukemia cases can be cured with Chemotherapy only whereas, others might require a combination of chemo, radiations and bone marrow transplant for complete leukemia treatment.

UAE has limited oncologists and hematologists which makes the treatment and fees costing high due to more demand. So UAE’s patients rely on India and have faith in the provided treatments.

Medical tourism has increased in India, in the past few years. Among the total leukemia patients reaching India via medical tourism involves 8% from the Gulf countries with nearly 5% from UAE.

What UAE’s patients must know about leukemia?

Leukemia tends to occur after some mutations occur in the DNA either acquired or by birth. This defective encoding of DNA misguides the body and produces defective cells and compromises the immune system of the body.

Main types of leukemia:

Lymphocytic leukemia: It involves effect over lymphoid cells due to hereditary mutations which cause leukemia.

Myelogenous leukemia: It involves effect over myeloid cells due to acquired mutations which cause leukemia.

Is modern diagnostic technology available in Indian hospitals to treat foreign patients with leukemia?

Effective leukemia treatment is only possible if UAE’s patients get a proper diagnosis. Several Indian hospitals are equipped with modern technology diagnostic equipment all under one roof of the hospital. It further makes it easy for foreign patents like UAE’s patients. A proper pathology department with professionally skilled doctors is there to provide an in-depth diagnosis to the oncologists before leukemia treatment can be started.

When you must see a doctor for leukemia treatment?

You must consider taking a doctor appointment if you notice any of the common leukemia symptoms like chills with fever, frequent nosebleeds, skin bruising and even patches on the skin, excessive sweating, extreme fatigue, enlarged liver, spleen or swollen lymph nodes, bone pain episodes, infections, and weight loss etc.

In the initial stages of leukemia, it is difficult to diagnose without blood tests and most of its symptoms are like common flu and infection. So you must not ignore as early diagnosis can only help in early leukemia treatment.

Related FAQs:

1) Q; Is there any specific way to prevent leukemia in UAE’s patients?

A: No, there is no significant way to completely prevent leukemia in UAE’s patients or in any other patient. Although, risk factors can be minimized which further reduces its chances. Like few lifestyle changes might help. Smoking is known to be a probable risk for AML and quitting it not only reduces risks but also minimizes another cancer of lung, throat, stomach etc.

2) Q: What are the two main types of leukemia?

A: Acute and chronic leukemia are its two types. In acute disease progresses quickly and needs immediate leukemia treatment. However, in chronic leukemia progression of a disease and symptom appearance both are slow. This leukemia might remain stable for long durations even without drug therapy.

3) Q: Is there any need to look for the second opinion before starting leukemia treatment?

A: Yes, it is always advisable to go for the second opinion. Especially if:

• You yourself feel the diagnosis is not accurate or doctor is not explaining things properly

• Your cancer is one of the rare types than its good to look for another advice

• Your type of leukemia treatment has multiple options for treatment etc.

• Your country does not possess much cancer experts like in case of UAE’s patients

CML and CLL treatment for Pakistan’s Patients

India has become a global medical tourism destination. Ministry of External Affairs has been putting up relevant data to support such statements over the past few years. India is the main source of attraction for Pakistan’s patients because of reasonable pricing of treatments and language comfort unlike in other countries where language barriers and high treatment costs restrict their approach.

Several hospitals in India run a flagship program, this kind of collaborations bridges the political gap of the countries. The flagship of global health destination has been declared by the Indian Ministry of External affairs by providing M or Medical Visa to Pakistan’s patients seeking for medical treatment like CML and CLL treatment in India.

Every year Pakistan’s patients approach in huge numbers for CML and CLL treatment in India. Leukemia cases are mostly seen in children than in adults. Out of the total child leukemia cases, majority touching 80% are of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). The remains ones include acute non-lymphocytic/ acute myeloid leukemia or ALL/AML. Few rare cases involve chronic myeloid leukemia or CML and other blood disorders.

How can bone marrow transplant help during CML and CLL treatment?

BMT helps successfully for CML and CLL treatment. It is even safe for children and older patients with a good success rate of the procedure. Pakistan’s patients can rely on several online applications and websites for finding the best hospital for CML and CLL treatment. During this procedure, unhealthy stem cells or blood-forming cells are replaced with healthy ones. This helps in effective CML and CLL treatment. It involves allogenic transplant mainly in which a donor can be someone related or unrelated with matching stem cells. CML and CLL treatment involve Chemotherapy and radiations initially followed by a bone marrow transplant. Finally, CML and CLL treatment reboots the blood cell formation in the body and also reactivates the impaired immune system.

You should not delay any further if you are looking for CML and CLL treatment, India can be your destination for an effective and economic treatment.

Know more about your chances of relapse after CML and CLL treatment?

Cytogenic and molecular testing is done to evaluate relapse likeliness of CML and CLL. During this method, a closer observation of genes and chromosomes present in the leukemia cells is done. Genes and chromosomes act as a code which instructs the body what and how to make and work. The specialist might collect your bone marrow and blood sample to evaluate all these parameters. You may also ask for a copy of such tests and discuss with your physician about the future risks of relapse.

CML and CLL treatment in Indian hospitals have a good success rate and Pakistan’s patients have already been benefited from these hospitals since last few years.

Related FAQs:

Q: Can leukemia actually spread over the time?

A: Leukemia cannot spread from one person to another. However, it can spread to other tissues and organs within one individual. The origin of leukemia is bone marrow where an overgrowth of the blood cells causes this condition.

Q: What are the main types of leukemia?

A: Leukemia has mainly 4 types and acute leukemia worsen quickly whereas Chronic Leukemia takes time to worsen. Its type includes:

• Acute lymphoblastic leukemia or ALL

• Acute myelogenous leukemia or AML

• Chronic lymphoblastic leukemia or CLL

• Chronic myelogenous leukemia or CML

Few rare types include hairy cell leukemia and juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia (JMML).

Q: How safe is CML and CLL treatment?

A: CML and CLL treatment is safe with minimal risks linked like in any procedure. Pakistan’s patients are approaching in several Indian hospitals for CML and CLL treatment and return home safe and satisfied with the results.

Bone Marrow Transplantations for Leukemia

Leukemia or acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) is one of such blood cancers which grows quickly. During this condition, the stem cells of the body get malfunctioned and they further do not perform their routine tasks of forming new blood cells. These damaged cells further multiply in numbers inside the spongy tissue region of the bones also known as bone marrow. This makes the body incapable to fight against any sort of infections and blood disorders and even cause excessive bleeding.

Some of the chemotherapeutic drugs are also known to help with AML. But these drugs also cause some side effects and even its high doses further impact the bone marrow hence causing a need for bone marrow transplantations in AML disease. Hence, bone marrow transplantations are the last resort to treat this disease of leukemia for now. Although, several kinds of research are still going on to increase the success rate of bone marrow transplantations especially in complicated cases.

A combination treatment of chemotherapy and high dose radiations followed by bone marrow transplant leukemia is normally followed by many doctors to treat AML disease from its root. During BMT the patient receives healthy blood-forming cell infusion which further regenerates the impaired system and helps in achieving good immune system as well.

What is the process of bone marrow transplantations in order to treat leukemia?

Bone marrow transplantations or hematopoietic progenitor cell transplantation involve a series of steps. Its main goal is to replace the defective stem cells with healthy blood-forming stem cells in the body. It is done by infusing healthy cells in the body. The main source of these healthy stem cells is either bone marrow or umbilical cord or circulating blood in the body.

These stem cells can be obtained from the patient in an autologous BMT procedure or from a matching donor in an allogeneic BMT procedure. Your physician can take a call on this after analyzing your health condition, diagnosis, and past medical history.

How effective do bone marrow transplantations are in case of leukemia treatment?

Bone marrow transplantations are highly effective in treating leukemia especially in patients with the first remission of acute myelogenous leukemia or AML. The efficacy of the treatment also has a direct link with the pre-transplant chemotherapy and high dose radiations. Although, some research revealed a few variations of relapses occurred post-transplant. Few of the dependent factors included twin-siblings or non-twin siblings, the presence of complications like graft-versus-host disease etc. The success rate and effectiveness of the bone marrow transplantations have its dependency mainly on the fact how matching the donor bone marrow is and then followed by the presence of any complications like of infection and rejection etc.

Related FAQs :

1) Q: Is there any particular type of leukemia which requires bone marrow transplantations?

A: Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) or any leukemia which requires chemotherapy might later require bone marrow transplantations. Because during high dose chemotherapy or radiation sessions involving the whole body causes defects in the bone marrow which requires a replacement with matching healthy one.

2) Q: Is there any specific recommended age group involving bone marrow transplant leukemia?

A: No, there is no such defined age group although health condition of the patient might play as a factor of eligibility. Even the elderly person or a child can undergo BMT. Allogenic transplant is a common procedure opted to treat AML condition.

3) Q: Can leukemia re-occur even after the procedure of bone marrow transplantations?

A: Yes, in some rare cases leukemia can re-occur with time. Then treatment options become limited due to factors like health condition, and age etc. your doctor will be the best person to discuss more on it as per your case.