Treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL)

There are things you can do to help you feel more in control of your physical and mental health when preparing for treatment. In the hospital, preparing for treatment is also called prehabilitation or prehab.

Treatment for ALL usually starts quite quickly after diagnosis. You usually have steroids followed by chemotherapy. Find out about these and other treatments you might have such as a targeted cancer drug or stem cell transplant.

Treatment for ALL is divided into different phases: induction, consolidation, intensification and maintenance. Find out more.

Chemotherapy is the main treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL). Get an overview of the phases of treatment and what to expect.

Doctors may use targeted cancer drugs or immunotherapy to help treat some types of ALL. Find out what these treatments are, and how and when you might have them.

A transplant allows you to have high doses of chemotherapy and other treatments. The stem cells are collected from the bloodstream or the bone marrow.

Leukaemia that does not go away with treatment is called refractory leukaemia. Leukaemia that comes back after treatment is called relapsed disease. Find out about the possible treatment options and ways to help cope with this news. 

Treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) might cause short and long term side effects. Short term side effects happen during treatment or very soon after you finish. Long term side effects can develop weeks, months or years after treatment has ended. Find out more.

Read about research into acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL), and find out what clinical trials are and how to take part. 

You have follow up appointments and tests after treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL). Find out what to expect.