IndexIntroductionMortalityRelapseTreatment-related adverse effectsConclusionReferencesIntroductionLeukemia is a cancer that affects the bone marrow and damages the formation of blood cells, and is the most common childhood cancer and represents the 30% of all childhood malignancies (Amitay & Keinan-Boker, 2015). Although there are several forms of childhood leukemia, acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most common, accounting for 26% of all childhood cancers (San Juan et al., 2007). Approximately 3,000 children and young adults are diagnosed with ALL each year in the United States (Children's Hospital of Philadelphia 2019). Thanks to treatment improvements in recent decades, the cure rate is now at 70%, which has led to a new awareness of adverse effects associated with treatment (e.g., quality of life (QOL) and functional capacity) (Lucia, Ramirez, San Juan, Fleck, Garcia-Castro & Madero, 2005). Exercise has been shown to be a valuable tool for adult cancer patients and cancer survivors, with further research beginning to examine the effect of exercise on children with cancer (Gocha Marchese, Chiarello & Lange, 2003 ; Lucía, Earnest & Pérez, 2003; Marchese, Chiarello & Lange, 2004). Therefore, the purpose of this brief review is to describe the role of aerobic and anaerobic exercise in improving mortality, relapse, and adverse effects related to treatment of childhood leukemia. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Mortality Chemotherapy, radiation, and other treatment methods have increased the survival rate of ALL to approximately 70% (Lucia, Ramirez, San Juan, Fleck, Garcia-Castro & Madero, 2005). Thanks to the aggressive protocol, 98% of patients diagnosed with ALL go into remission within a few weeks of starting treatment. There is little research on the impact of exercise on mortality and relapse rates in ALL, however exercise has been shown to prevent or decrease the severity of adverse treatment effects (e.g. deconditioning, muscle weakness, decreased quality of life). Although the survival rate of ALL is relatively high, the long-term effects of treatment can be harmful. A 25-year follow-up found that survivors were more likely to report poor general health and cardiovascular disorders (e.g., congestive heart failure, coronary heart disease, myocardial infarction, cardiac arrest) (Mody et al, 2008). A well-adjusted exercise program can prevent the onset of cardiovascular disease. Relapse The initial remission rate of ALL is promising, however approximately ⅓ of standard risk patients and ⅔ of high risk patients will have disease relapse (Oriol et al., 2010). . Approximately 90% of affected individuals will be “cured” of the disease, however recovery is defined as spending 10 years in remission (St. Jude Children's Research Hospital 2019). Previous research has indicated that a relapse can occur later in life (~30 years), so even if a patient is considered cured there is still a possibility of relapse (Oriol et al., 2010). There is conflicting data regarding recurrence, however the minimum reported is that approximately 15-20% of individuals who enter complete remission will have the disease return later in life (Dana Farber Cancer Institute 2019). To the researchers' knowledge, there have been no studies documenting the effects of exercise on ALL recurrence rates. However, as for ratesmortality, exercise may reduce adverse effects of treatments (e.g., fatigue, muscle weakness, deconditioning, quality of life). Treatment-related adverse effects Some of the factors that lead to decreased quality of life and functional capacity following treatment include muscle weakness, reduced aerobic capacity, fatigue, reduced range of motion of the ankle, osteopenia and osteoporosis, weight changes, depression and pain (Burnham & Wilcox, 2002; Lucia, Ramirez, San Juan, Fleck, Garcia-Castro & Madero, 2005). Furthermore, children who receive a bone marrow transplant typically experience severe physical deconditioning and muscle weakness, due to intensive corticosteroid treatment following surgery (van Brussel, Takken, Lucia, van der Net & Helders, 2005). However, exercise has been shown to increase functional capacity and aerobic capacity in both children and adults with cancer and survivors, which in turn leads to improvements in quality of life (Lucía, Earnest & Pérez, 2003; Lucia, Ramirez, San Juan, Fleck, Garcia -Castro and Madero, 2005; Marchese, Chiarello and Lange, 2004; A study examining the effect of 4 months of physical therapy and home-based aerobic, resistance and flexibility training in children (aged 4 to 18 years) undergoing treatment for ALL found improvements in both ankle range of motion and knee extension strength, ultimately leading to improvements in gait (Marchese, Chiarello & Lange, 2004 Furthermore, another study found that 16 weeks of resistance (a set of 8-15 repetitions of 11 exercises) and aerobic training (30 minutes at >70% HRmax) were able to improve muscle strength of the part. upper and lower body, peak VO2, ventilatory threshold, and times of functional mobility tests (timed stair climbing and 3 and 10 meter up and down) in a group of 4-7 year old children with ALL (San Juan et al, 2007). Furthermore, most improvements in muscle strength and functional mobility were maintained after 20 weeks of detraining, while improvements in peak VO2 and ventilatory threshold were partially maintained (San Juan et al, 2007). Additionally, while studies have not examined the effect of exercise on the psychological health of ALL patients and survivors, previous literature has shown that exercise can improve psychological health in survivors of other cancers (Burnham & Wilcox , 2002; Galvão & Newton, 2005; Saxton et al, 2014). Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Conclusion ALL is the most common form of childhood leukemia, with approximately 3,000 children and adults ALL being diagnosed each year in the United States. Thanks to improvements in treatment, the survival rate is now around 70%, which has led to a new awareness in the approval of adverse effects of treatment. Exercise has been shown to improve both the quality of life and functional capacity of patients and survivors of ALL and other forms of cancer. Although research has not examined the effect of exercise on ALL mortality and recurrence, exercise should be considered as an important treatment modality to improve treatment-related adverse effects of ALL. References Amitay, E. L., & Keinan-Boker, L. ( 2015). Breastfeeding and the incidence of childhood leukemia: a meta-analysis and systematic review. JAMA Pediatrics, 169(6), e151025-e151025.Burnham, T. R., & Wilcox, A. (2002). Effects of exercise on physiological and psychological variables in., ... &, 43(5), 607.