what treatments for leukemia?

The term “blood cancer” for leukemia is incorrect. In fact, it is the bone marrow that is deficient, producing blood cells in an anarchic way. The disease affects between 12,000 and 13,000 adults each year, as well as 500 adolescents under the age of 15, making it the most common form of cancer in younger people, specifies Professor Jean-Hugues Dalle, a hematologist at the hospital. Robert-Debré in Paris. Europa 1 guest on Thursday on display Without an appointment, detailed the various existing treatments.

Chemotherapy is needed

“Leukemia is part of the cancer family and in general what we do well for cancer is chemotherapy”, the professor immediately asks. If this treatment is particularly suitable, he explains, it is because leukemia is a cancer in which cells proliferate very quickly. These diseased cells are very sensitive to chemotherapy.

A drug to stop cell proliferation

The treatment of leukemia took a leap forward about twenty years ago with the development of a drug: Glivec. This attacks the protein responsible for cell proliferation and degeneration. “He revolutionized treatment, because he had 6-7 years of life expectancy before, and now he is recovering”, enthuses Jean-Hugues Dalle.

Bone marrow transplant for the most severe cases

Only after noticing that the chemotherapy treatment has failed can doctors decide on a bone marrow transplant. “It is only indicated when it is necessary, but there are still a number of leukemias where the treatment must go from bone marrow transplantation,” explains the professor. He confesses that it is a heavy and extremely violent treatment for the patient.

The innovation of immunotherapy

Still used marginally and very expensive, immunotherapy is the future of leukemia treatment. “With immunity in the blood and marrow, it’s a good way to deal with it!” In this case there are immunotherapy drugs but also “CAR-T cells”: the operation consists in taking the blood cells, most often from the patient himself, to treat them in the laboratory and introduce them. a gene that destroys diseased cells. “We are at the beginning”, specifies the doctor, but the results are encouraging.