Acute and chronic leukemia treatment and diagnostics abroad

Leukemia is a group of blood cancers in which abnormal white blood cells multiply uncontrollably in the bone marrow. Leukemias are divided into acute and chronic, myeloid and lymphoid — the type determines treatment and outlook.

Below are hematology-oncology clinics abroad: compare their capabilities, doctors and prices.

Main types of leukemia

• Acute myeloid leukemia — more common in adults, develops quickly and needs urgent treatment.
• Acute lymphoblastic leukemia — the most common cancer in children.
• Chronic myeloid leukemia — controlled with targeted tablets.
• Chronic lymphocytic leukemia — one of the common adult leukemias; people without indications for treatment can be actively monitored until treatment is needed.

Symptoms

• weakness, pallor, breathlessness — due to anaemia;
• frequent infections and fever;
• bruising, bleeding gums, tiny red spots on the skin;
• bone pain, enlarged lymph nodes, liver or spleen;
• night sweats, weight loss.

Chronic leukemias are often found by chance on a routine blood test.

Diagnosis

• full blood count and blood smear;
• bone marrow aspiration and biopsy when needed for the suspected leukemia type;
• flow cytometry (immunophenotyping);
• cytogenetic and molecular tests — they define the risk group and targets for targeted therapy.

Treatment abroad

• Chemotherapy — the backbone of treatment for acute leukemias.
• Targeted drugs — tyrosine kinase inhibitors in CML, BTK and BCL-2 inhibitors in CLL, drugs against FLT3 and IDH mutations in acute myeloid leukemia.
• Immunotherapy and CAR-T — for selected relapsed acute lymphoblastic leukemia; CAR-T use requires an eligible B-cell subtype and the relevant product indication.
• Bone marrow transplant — in high-risk disease and relapse.

See clinics in the hematology-oncology section.

Send a request with your test results — Clinics Direct coordinators will obtain a hematologist's second opinion and treatment prices free of charge.