Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Symptoms And Solutions
Supportive Care Options

Some patients with advanced acute lymphoblastic leukemia or ALL that is not responding to treatment may choose to pursue supportive care or palliative care options. Supportive or palliative care is care that centers around the relief of symptoms caused by cancer that negatively impact an affected individual's life. Palliative or supportive care focuses on improving the quality of an acute lymphoblastic leukemia patient's life, but it is not intended to cure their condition. Supportive care can be provided with or without curative treatment or treatment intended to cure ALL.
This type of care helps with relief of uncomfortable and bothersome symptoms such as pain, breathlessness, nausea, and fatigue. It also aims to assist with a patient's spiritual and or emotional issues. This type of care may involve the use of drugs to control symptoms, and it may even include treatment that is the same as what is used in curative treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia. However, the use of chemotherapy or radiation to relieve symptoms is different than the use of it to actually cure cancer.