Surgery for childhood leukemia

Unlike most other cancers, surgery has only a small role in the treatment of leukemia. This is because leukemia is a disease of blood and bone marrow and cannot be cured with surgery.

Surgery may be used to help give other treatments. A small plastic tube may be placed into a large vein. The tube, called a central venous catheter (CVC) or a venous access device (VAD), allows medicines such as chemotherapy to be given and blood samples to be removed without the need for repeated needle sticks. The end of the tube stays just under the skin or sticks out in the chest area or upper arm. It is important for parents to learn how to care for the VAD.

In cases where a boy with leukemia has a relapse of the disease in a testicle, surgery may be done to remove the testicle (along with giving chemotherapy to treat the rest of the body).