About Meir Wetzler <B>M. D.</B> Expertise Leukemia acute and chronic; from chemotherapy to transplantation. Done clinical and translational research on leukemia for the last 10 years at the Roswell Park Cancer Institute.
Question Why do patients receive leukophoresis when their white count is high before treatment of ALL or AML? Thanks
Answer Dear Mary,
High white blood cell count in AML can be associated with "stickiness" of the cells to the blood vessels and interfering with oxygen exchange. Leukapheresis removes as many blasts as possible to prevent these side effects and allow time for chemotherapy to work. This is usually not needed in ALL as those cells don't tend to "stick."
Thx, Meir.
