Because leukemia cells are produced in the bone marrow, they travel throughout the body. This means that, unlike many other types of cancer, there isn’t a tumor that can be surgically removed. Your doctor will determine a treatment plan based on your age and overall health, as well as the type and extent of your leukemia. Treatment may include chemotherapy (medications that kill cancer cells), biological therapy (helps immune system attack leukemia cells), radiation therapy (x-rays to damage leukemia and stop growth) or stem cell transplantation (replace diseased bone marrow with healthy bone marrow). The goal of treatment is to destroy the abnormal cells and allow healthy cells to form.
