Childhood Leukemia
Chapter 8: Choosing a Treatment
“The challenge remains clear: to strive for the cure and health of all children through the development of more effective yet less damaging treatment for our young patients.”
THE FIRST FEW WEEKS AFTER DIAGNOSIS are utterly overwhelming. In the midst of confusion, fear, and fatigue, you might need to make an important and sometimes difficult decision: whether to choose the best-known treatment (standard treatment) or enroll your child in an experimental treatment (clinical trial). This chapter explains helpful things to know before deciding on a treatment for your child, including the difference between standard treatment and clinical trials. It also covers questions to ask, informed consent, and stories from parents about the decisions they made.
Table of Contents
All Guides- Introduction
- 1. Diagnosis
- 2. Overview of Childhood Leukemia
- 3. Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia
- 4. Acute Myeloid Leukemia
- 5. Juvenile Myelomonocytic Leukemia
- 6. Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia
- 7. Telling Your Child and Others
- 8. Choosing a Treatment
- 9. Coping with Procedures
- 10. Forming a Partnership with the Medical Team
- 11. Hospitalization
- 12. Central Venous Catheters
- 13. Chemotherapy and Other Medications
- 14. Common Side Effects of Treatment
- 15. Radiation Therapy
- 16. Stem Cell Transplantation
- 17. Siblings
- 18. Family and Friends
- 19. Communication and Behavior
- 20. School
- 21. Sources of Support
- 22. Nutrition
- 23. Insurance, Record-keeping, and Financial Assistance
- 24. End of Treatment and Beyond
- 25. Relapse
- 26. Death and Bereavement
- Appendix A. Blood Tests and What They Mean
- Appendix B. Resource Organizations
- Appendix C. Books, Websites, and Support Groups