Forecast

The acute lymphatic form of blood cancer (ALL), which occurs most frequently in children, has good chances of cure. In about 80% of cases, children are cured after therapy. In the acute myeloid form, 50-90% of patients are freed from the cancer cells by the therapies applied, but the cancer cells may reappear.

In the long term, about 30-40% of all patients with AML are cured. The prognosis for cure is influenced by factors such as age, concomitant diseases and cytogenetic findings. Aftercare: Since blood cancer cells can reappear even after successful therapy, long-term aftercare is extremely important for blood cancer patients after treatment is completed.

This includes, above all, regular blood tests using blood counts and differential blood counts. With this form of aftercare, a recurrence of the blood cancer (a so-called relapse) with possible consequential damage can be detected and treated early on. The term healing is not easy to use in medicine.

This has to do with the fact that although many diseases can be treated relatively well nowadays, there is always the possibility of a relapse into the disease. This is also the case with leukaemias. In order to really cure leukaemia, a stem cell transplantation with prior combined chemotherapy and radiotherapy is usually necessary, because this is the only way to kill all malignant cells. However, even in patients who have received a stem cell donation there are relapses (recurrences). The recurrence rate in leukaemias after stem cell transplantation is assumed to be about 20%.

Prophylaxis

Since no clear cause for blood cancer is known, there are no clear measures that could prevent the development of blood cancer. However, by avoiding certain factors, the risk of developing such a disease can be reduced. These include : The careful handling of chemical pollutants, such as benzene or other substances containing benzene.

Ionising radiation, such as X-rays, should probably be dosed. This means that unnecessary X-ray examinations should be avoided. It is best to ask the treating radiologist to issue an X-ray passport in which all X-ray examinations are recorded in order to keep a good overview of the examinations that have taken place.

If treatment is already being carried out as part of a tumour therapy, close attention should be paid to possible changes and symptoms in the context of blood cancer. In general, conditions of discomfort with weakness, fatigue, night sweats, weight loss and other possible symptoms should be clarified with the doctor at an early stage, because the earlier a disease of the haematopoietic system is detected, the better the chances for a permanent cure. All in all, blood cancer is a relatively rare cancer compared to other cancers such as breast or prostate cancer.

Another positive aspect is that thanks to modern therapy methods, blood cancer can be cured in many cases. – The careful handling of chemical pollutants, such as benzene or other substances containing benzene. – Ionising radiation, such as X-rays, should probably be dosed.

This means that unnecessary X-ray examinations should be avoided. It is best to obtain an X-ray passport from the treating radiologist, in which all X-ray examinations are recorded, in order to keep a good overview of examinations that have been carried out. – If treatment is already being carried out as part of a tumour therapy, close attention should be paid to possible changes and symptoms in the context of blood cancer. – In general, conditions of discomfort with weakness, fatigue, night sweats, weight loss and other possible symptoms should be clarified with the doctor at an early stage, because the earlier a disease of the haematopoietic system is detected, the better the chances for a permanent cure.