Chemotherapy for Leukemia
Chemotherapy is a treatment for cancer that combines a specific set of drugs designed to target and destroy cancer cells. With so many different forms of leukemia, the board-certified oncologists and leukemia specialists at the Cancer Center of Southern California in Los Angeles design individualized and patient-specific chemotherapy and leukemia treatment protocols to ensure that each patient receives the best leukemia treatment possible in Los Angeles.
Chemotherapy for Leukemia
Chemotherapy can be administered in pill form (orally), through an IV drip directly into the bloodstream (intravenously), or intrathecally (directly administered to fluid around the brain and spinal cord). There is a long list of chemotherapy drugs approved for treating the various forms of leukemia. According to the National Cancer Institute, some of the most common leukemia treatment drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) include:
Drugs Approved for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL)
- Cytoxan (Cyclophosphamide)
- Dasatinib
- Daunorubicin Hydrochloride
- Doxorubicin Hydrochloride
- Erwinaze (Asparaginase Erwinia Chrysanthemi)
- Folex (Methotrexate)
- Abitrexate (Methotrexate)
- Arranon (Nelarabine)
- Asparaginase Erwinia chrysanthemi
- Vincasar PFS (Vincristine Sulfate)
- Vincristine Sulfate
- Vincristine Sulfate Liposome
- Marqibo (Vincristine Sulfate Liposome)
- Mercaptopurine
- Methotrexate
- Methotrexate LPF (Methorexate)
- Mexate (Methotrexate)
- Mexate-AQ (Methotrexate)
- Nelarabine
Drug Combinations Used in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL)
- Hyper-CVAD
Drugs Approved for Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL)
- Cyclophosphamide
- Cytoxan (Cyclophosphamide)
- Fludara (Fludarabine Phosphate)
- Fludarabine Phosphate
- Ibrutinib
- Idelalisib
- Imbruvica (Ibrutinib)
- Leukeran (Chlorambucil)
- Rituxan (Rituximab)
- Rituximab
- Treanda (Bendamustine Hydrochloride)
- Prednisone
Drug Combinations Used in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL)
- CVP
- CHLORAMBUCIL-PREDNISONE
Drugs Approved for Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (CML)
- Synribo (Omacetaxine Mepesuccinate)
- Tarabine PFS (Cytarabine)
- Tasigna (Nilotinib)
- Gleevec (Imatinib Mesylate)
- Iclusig (Ponatinib Hydrochloride)
- Imatinib Mesylate
- Myleran (Busulfan)
- Clafen (Cyclophosphamide)
- Cyclophosphamide
- Cytarabine
- Bosulif (Bosutinib)
- Bosutinib
- Busulfan
- Busulfex (Busulfan)
- Cytosar-U (Cytarabine)
Drugs Approved for Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML)
- Idamycin (Idarubicin Hydrochloride)
- Idarubicin Hydrochloride
- Mitoxantrone Hydrochloride
- Neosar (Cyclophosphamide)
- Arsenic Trioxide
- Cerubidine (Daunorubicin Hydrochloride)
- Clafen (Cyclophosphamide)
- Cytosar-U (Cytarabine)
- Cytoxan (Cyclophosphamide)
- Daunorubicin Hydrochloride
- Doxorubicin Hydrochloride
- Rubidomycin (Daunorubicin Hydrochloride)
Drug Combinations Used in Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML)
- ADE
Drugs Approved for Meningeal Leukemia
- Cytarabine
- Tarabine PFS (Cytarabine)
- Cytosar-U (Cytarabine)
Hairy Cell Leukemia
- Recombinant Interferon Alfa-2b
- Intron A (Recombinant Interferon Alfa-2b)
Finding the right balance of chemotherapy drugs to treat leukemia requires a great deal of clinical experience, and can be described as something of an art. The cancer treatment team at Cancer Center of Southern California in Los Angeles has extensive knowledge in finding the right combination of chemotherapy drugs for every form of leukemia to offer patients the most successful outcomes.
Next, read Leukemia Cell Treatment.
