The childhood leukemias.

Advances in treatment and prognosis of childhood leukemia are considered a remarkable success of modern medicine. Childhood leukemia, once considered a universally fatal disease, now boasts overall cure rates ranging from 75% to 85% for acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) and cure rates approaching 40% to 50% for acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). Inherent to this success is the expertise nurses provide when caring for children with leukemia. Understanding the classifications of leukemia and the specific therapies help direct the specialized care children with leukemia need. This article provides an overview of childhood leukemias, diagnostic and classification methods used to differentiate and evaluate childhood leukemias, and treatment strategies applied toward various forms of childhood leukemias. Copyright 2003, Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.