What is leukaemia?

The symptoms of Leukaemia can develop rapidly or over time and can include ^{Footnote [1]};

• Feeling really tired, or weak.
• Fever (a temperature).
• Unexplained weight loss.
• Swollen lymph nodes (glands in your neck, armpits or groin).
• Bruising more often.
• Nosebleeds.
• Repeat infections.
• Night sweats
• Pale skin

The type of leukaemia diagnosed will relate to the white blood cells it’s affecting, and this includes whether the Leukaemia is ‘chronic’ (slow growing) or ‘acute’ (fast growing) depending on how aggressive the disease is.

• Acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) is an aggressive, fast growing, cancer of the myeloid cells (monocyte or granulocyte immune cells). This requires prompt treatment as it can develop quickly.
• Chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) is a rare cancer of the myeloid cells that is usually slow growing and develops over a few years.
• Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) is cancer of the lymphoid cells which fight infection.  It is a common type of Leukaemia in young adults, teenagers and children.
• Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia is a slow-growing, rare cancer of the lymphoid cells. It is not always curable but can be managed with treatment.

Doctors don’t know exactly what causes leukaemia, but they have identified common mutations within the DNA of people that have been diagnosed with different types of leukaemia.  Anyone can develop leukaemia, but there are also certain factors that can increase the risk. 

These risk factors include:

• If you’ve been exposed to certain chemicals such as benzene and formaldehyde.
• If there’s a family history of leukaemia.
• If you’ve had treatment with chemotherapy and / or radiation treatments for other cancers.
• If you’re a smoker - smoking can increase your risk of AML as there’s benzene in cigarette smoke.

If your doctor thinks you may have leukaemia, they’ll arrange for you to have a blood test to check your levels of white blood cells, red blood cells and platelets (tiny cells that help your blood form into clots when necessary).

If your blood test shows abnormal results, you’ll be referred to a haematologist for further tests which may include a bone marrow biopsy, lumbar puncture, chest x-ray, CT scan and/or MRI scan.

If you’re diagnosed with leukaemia your treatment pathway will depend on many factors including the type of leukaemia you have, your age and general health.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is anti-cancer medication usually delivered through a thin tube inserted into a blood vessel. It is given at a high dose to kill the leukaemia cancer cells.

This can leave you feeling quite unwell and you may receive blood and platelet transfusions and supportive medications for example antibiotics as the chemotherapy also harms healthy blood cells.

Chemotherapy is given at regular intervals (cycles). Depending on how you respond to the treatment, you can usually go home between treatments.

Your health will be carefully monitored for possible complications and side effects, and you will be prescribed medication to help reduce these.

Stem Cell Transplant (bone marrow transplant)

Depending upon the type of leukaemia you have, your general health and/or whether your bone marrow has been damaged by disease or treatment, you may be offered a peripheral blood stem cell transplant or a bone marrow transplant. This treatment may or may not include total body irradiation (radiotherapy).

Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplant and Bone Marrow Transplant treatments replace both the healthy and diseased cells that have been damaged by disease and during high dose chemotherapy treatment.

Following high dose chemotherapy, healthy new stem cells will be infused into your bloodstream to travel to the bone marrow and start to form new healthy blood cells.

You may receive your own stem cells or those provided by a donor.

Radiotherapy

Radiotherapy treatment may be administered before a peripheral blood stem cell transplant or a bone marrow transplant to destroy abnormal cells. It can also be given to treat disease that has spread to the central nervous system or the brain, but this is rare.

Targeted therapy

Targeted drug treatment may be offered to you if you have a certain type of leukaemia and these drugs can be administered either on their own or alongside chemotherapy.

These drug treatments block certain abnormalities within your cancer cells, which impacts the growth and the survival of the cancer cells. Because these drugs target the leukaemia cells, they have less effect on healthy cells.

CAR-T Therapy

Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy is an immunotherapy treatment used to treat specific types of leukaemia. Your own T cells (type of white blood cell) are collected and sent to a laboratory where they are genetically modified, multiplied and then reinfused back into your blood.  These new cells can recognise and destroy leukaemia cells.

This is a very complex procedure and only specialised centres in the UK can provide it following a review by the National CAR-T Clinical Panel.

Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) is the most common type of childhood cancer - around a third of all cancers in children under 15 are a type of leukaemia.^{Footnote [2]}

The main treatment for children with leukaemia is chemotherapy.  Sometimes your child’s doctors might offer other treatments, but usually only in special circumstances.

If your child has a high risk of their leukaemia coming back, they may also need a stem cell transplant, either alongside, or after the chemotherapy.

Many cancer treatments can make you feel unwell.  Your doctors will tell you about what side effects to expect from your treatment. These may include:

• Tiredness.
• Infections.
• Sore mouth.
• Hair loss.
• Vomiting or feeling sick.
• Diarrhoea or constipation
• Infertility ^{Footnote [3]}

Side effects usually stop after your treatment has finished but can sometimes persist. Long-term complications are possible, so you should tell your doctor if you’re still feeling poorly, if anything gets worse, or if you develop new symptoms.

It’s easy to claim for treatment for leukaemia using your health insurance cover. The first step is to get a referral from your specialist. Then you can make a claim through MyAviva, online, or over the phone.

Once we’ve confirmed your claim is eligible, we’ll pay for your tests and treatment subject to policy terms and conditions. Just be sure to tell us if your treatment, hospital, or specialist changes.

It’s good to have one less thing to worry about. It takes Aviva.