1. Recognize the Symptoms
Some common symptoms of chronic leukemia are weakness, fatigue, fever, weight loss, night sweats, an enlarged spleen and enlarged lymph nodes. Your doctor will order a blood test to determine if you are making enough red blood cells, have properly functioning white blood cells and blood platelets. These are the most common signs of leukemia. Then your doctor will order a bone marrow test to confirm the chronic leukemia.
2. I Want to Give You Blood
Patients receive blood transfusions with chronic leukemia. If you are low on one type of cell, the doctors may specialize in their transfusions. The patient gets a fresh frozen plasma (FFP) and cryoprecipitate mixture transfused to them because they are low on blood clotting proteins. Use this in conjunction with chemotherapy or radiation.
3. Immunotherapy Treatment
A treatment called immunotherapy targets the immune cells that are causing the cancer and tries to destroy them. There are many types of cells to target; therefore, there are many types of immunotherapy drugs to use on your chronic leukemia.
4. Other Common Treatments
Your doctor may prescribe chemotherapy or radiation to treat your chronic leukemia. Doctors use chemotherapy to stop the growth of cancer cells with medicine. The medicine either kills the cells or stops them from dividing. Some patients receive chemotherapy injections into the vein or muscle or they may take it orally. These medications travel through your bloodstream and reach the cancer cells. Your doctor may prescribe one drug or he may prescribe many kinds of drugs to treat your chronic leukemia. Most treatments last in cycles and the doctors monitor your progression during these cycles. Radiation therapy kills cancerous cells using high-energy x-rays. External radiation therapy sends radiation toward the cancer using a machine that pinpoints the spot on your body. Internal radiation therapy targets the cancer through a radioactive substance sealed in needles, wires, seeds or catheters. In some instances where a person cannot undergo surgery, your doctor recommends radiation. He may also use it as a precautionary measure after surgery to ensure all the brain cancer cells are gone.
5. Stay Well During Treatment
The use of steroids to improve your immunity and other cells production are necessary when undergoing treatment for chronic leukemia. Use nutrition to increase your energy. Get plenty of rest and keep your mind and spirit healthy as well.
