10.7.2
Acute Leukemias
Malawi Standard Treatment Guidelines, 6th Edition, 2023. Chapter 10, Oncology.
Clinical Description
- Acute leukemias are among the most aggressive hematological conditions.
Investigations
- PBF examination facilitates morphological diagnosis which may or may not be sufficient to reach a definitive diagnosis in terms of subtypes of acute leukemia’s.
Pharmacological
Treatment depends on subtypes.
- Acute leukemias typically require four months of hospital admission in self- contained patient rooms. For acute lymphoblastic leukemias, induction, intensification and maintenance treatment cycles last for a total of 2 years.
- Medications to choose from include: Cyclophosphamide, prednisolone, methotrexate, Cytarabine, L-Asparaginase, Mercaptopurine, vincristine, Doxorubicin, Daunorubicin
- Intrathecal treatment: Cytarabine, Methotrexate and Dexamethasone
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