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People who are related to your child, and whose blood matches your child 'sPeople who are not related to your child, but whose blood matches your child 'sBlood (that matches your child 's) from a newborn baby's umbilical cord
Most children are in "remission " � after they start treatment. This means that doctors do not see any more abnormal blood cells in the blood or bone marrow. But even though doctors do not see any abnormal cells, they are still in the body. To kill these cells and keep the leukemia from returning, your child will need to finish treatment. It usually takes about 2 to 3 years to finish treatment. � �
What happens after treatment? " � After treatment, the doctor will check your child every so often to see if the leukemia comes back. Follow-ups include talking with the doctor, exams, and blood tests. Sometimes, the doctor will also do a bone marrow biopsy. � �
You should also watch your child for the symptoms listed above. Having those symptoms could mean the leukemia has come back. Tell the doctor or nurse if your child has any symptoms. � �
What happens if the leukemia comes back? " � If the leukemia comes back, your child might have more chemotherapy, radiation, or a bone marrow transplant. � �
What else should I do? " � It is important to follow all of the doctor's instructions about visits and tests. It's also important to let the doctor know if your child has any side effects or problems during treatment. � �
Leukemia treatment can involve making many choices, such as what treatment your child should have and when. Always let the doctors and nurses know how you feel about a treatment. Any time your child is offered a treatment, ask: � �
- What are the benefits of this treatment? Is it likely to help my child live longer? Will it reduce or prevent symptoms?
- What are the downsides to this treatment?
- Are there other options besides this treatment?
- What happens if my child does not have this treatment?
All topics are updated as new evidence becomes available and our peer review process is complete. � �
This topic retrieved from UpToDate on: Nov 04, 2014. � �
Topic 83252 Version 4.0 � �
Release: 22.8 - C22.208 � �
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