Childhood Leukemia

When your child gets a leukemia diagnosis, you have many questions and concerns. The UM Children’s Hospital childhood cancer team is here to give you the answers, treatment and support you need.

Choose UM Children's for Leukemia Treatment

At UM Children’s, our highly qualified cancer team will help you and your family through every step, from diagnosis to treatment to follow-up care. We provide advanced treatments and procedures at our location in downtown Baltimore.

We also have a comprehensive support system and resources to help you with this challenging time. Our team of experts includes physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses and patient care specialists. You can also get help from:

• Social workers – Social workers can help you navigate the emotional and practical challenges of your child's treatment.
• Child life specialists – These specialists help prepare your child for treatment and cope with the emotional aspects of illness.
• Counseling and education – We will discuss with you all you need to know about what your child needs and how to best support them, while listening to what you need as well. 
• Support groups – You can talk about your struggles in a supportive environment.

What Is Childhood Leukemia? 

Leukemia is a cancer of the blood cells. In children, it most commonly affects the white blood cells made in the bone marrow, the spongy center of bones.

Normally, white blood cells help fight infection. In leukemia, the bone marrow makes too many abnormal white blood cells that don't work properly. These crowd out healthy blood cells, making it harder for the body to fight infection and stay healthy.

Leukemia is the most common childhood cancer, accounting for almost one out of three cancers in children and teens.

Types of Childhood Leukemia

There are two main types of childhood leukemia, both acute (fast-growing):

• Acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) – This is the most common type of childhood leukemia. It affects lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell.
• Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) – AML is less common than ALL. It affects myeloblasts, which are immature cells that develop into various types of blood cells.

Signs and Symptoms of Childhood Leukemia

Symptoms of childhood leukemia can vary. Common ones include fatigue, frequent or severe infections, easy bruising or bleeding, swollen lymph nodes, bone or joint pain and paleness. Fever, loss of appetite and weight loss can also be issues.   

If you notice any of these symptoms in your child, please consult your pediatrician. Early diagnosis and treatment are important.

Diagnosing Childhood Leukemia

After a physical exam, a blood test is done to look at the count of white and red blood cells. Then a bone marrow sample will be collected and tested. This involves a bone marrow aspiration, where a needle withdraws liquid bone marrow, and a bone marrow biopsy, where a small piece of bone marrow is removed. 

Children may have a lumbar puncture (spinal tap), used to look for leukemia cells in the liquid around the spine and brain. A small needle goes in between the bones of the spine and withdraws fluid for testing.

How to Treat Childhood Leukemia

Childhood leukemia has high cure rates, especially when diagnosed early. The specific treatment plan for your child will depend on the type of leukemia they have and other factors. 

Common treatment options include: 

• Chemotherapy – powerful medications are used to kill cancer cells
• Radiation therapy – high-energy rays target and destroy cancer cells
• Bone marrow transplant – diseased bone marrow is replaced with healthy bone marrow from a donor