There are no authoritative sources reporting the exact cure rate for CNS leukemia.
CNS leukemia is the most common extramedullary leukemia, most commonly seen in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, but also in adults with acute lymphoblastic leukemia or acute myeloid leukemia. Patients may have symptoms such as headache, nausea, vomiting, neck stiffness, convulsions, and in severe cases, paralysis or even paraplegia, so its prevention and treatment are quite important.
Preventive and therapeutic measures for CNS leukemia include intrathecal injection of chemotherapeutic agents, high-dose systemic chemotherapy, and radiotherapy to the head plus the entire spinal cord. Individual studies have shown that a regimen of combination chemotherapy plus CNS irradiation is effective in at least half of cases if the patient has not been previously irradiated; however, if there has been a history of prior irradiation, the rate of effectiveness is only 30%.
Specific drugs include cytarabine, methotrexate, and dexamethasone, and treatment needs to be done as prescribed.