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    Acute Myeloid Leukemia: in This Page

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    Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is cancer that starts inside bone marrow. This type of cancer is rare under age 40, generally occurs around age 60. Certain chemicals, Certain chemotherapy drugs may lead to some types of leukemia.

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    Acute Myeloid Leukemia: in This Page

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    Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is cancer that starts inside bone marrow. This type of cancer is rare under age 40, generally occurs around age 60. Certain chemicals, Certain chemotherapy drugs may lead to some types of leukemia.

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    Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is cancer that starts inside bone marrow. This type of cancer is rare under age 40, generally occurs around age 60. Certain chemicals, Certain chemotherapy drugs may lead to some types of leukemia.

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    128 views6 pages

    Acute Myeloid Leukemia: in This Page

    Uploaded by

    babbajee4u
    Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is cancer that starts inside bone marrow. This type of cancer is rare under age 40, generally occurs around age 60. Certain chemicals, Certain chemotherapy drugs may lead to some types of leukemia.

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    Home | About PubMed Health | Contact Us

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    Home > Diseases and Conditions > Acute myeloid leukemia


    In this Page
    Acute myeloid leukemia Causes, incidence, and risk factors

    Acute myelogenous leukemia; AML; Acute granulocytic leukemia; Acute Symptoms
    nonlymphocytic leukemia (ANLL); Leukemia ­ acute myeloid (AML); Leukemia ­ Signs and tests
    acute granulocytic; Leukemia ­ nonlymphocytic (ANLL) Treatment
    Last review ed: September 6, 2010.
    Support Groups
    Expectations (prognosis)
    Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is cancer that starts inside bone marrow, the soft tissue
    inside bones that helps form blood cells. The cancer grows from cells that would normally Complications
    turn into white blood cells. Calling your health care provider
    Acute means the disease develops quickly. Prevention
    See also: References

    Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)


    Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) Figures
    Leukemia
    Auer rods

    Causes, incidence, and risk factors
    Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is one of the most common types of leukemia among
    adults. This type of cancer is rare under age 40. It generally occurs around age 60. (This
    article focuses on AML in adults.)
    Acute Monocytic
    AML is more common in men than women.
    Leukemia ­ Skin

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    Persons with this type of cancer have abnormal cells inside their bone marrow. The cells
    grow very fast, and replace healthy blood cells. The bone marrow, which helps the body
    fight infections, eventually stops working correctly. Persons with AML become more prone
    to infections and have an increased risk for bleeding as the numbers of healthy blood cells
    decrease.
    Most of the time, a doctor cannot tell you what caused AML. However, the following things
    are thought to lead to some types of leukemia, including AML:
    Certain chemicals (for example, benzene) Blood cells

    Certain chemotherapy drugs, including etoposide and drugs known as alkylating


    agents
    Radiation
    Problems with your genes may also play a role in the development of AML.
    You have an increased risk for AML if you have or had any of the following:
    A weakened immune system (immunosuppression) due to an organ transplant Read More
    Chemotherapy
    Blood disorders, including:
    Immunodeficiency disorders
    Polycythemia vera
    Polycythemia vera
    Essential thrombocythemia
    Anemia
    Myelodysplasia (refractory anemia) Bone marrow transplant
    Exposure to radiation and chemicals

    Symptoms Drugs of interest
    Bleeding from the nose Arsenic Trioxide Injection

    Bleeding gums Cytarabine


    Daunorubicin
    Bruising
    Fludarabine Injection
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    Fludarabine Injection
    Bone pain or tenderness
    Gemtuzumab Ozogamicin Injection
    Fatigue
    See all...
    Fever
    Heavy menstrual periods
    Recent activity
    Pallor
    Turn Off Clear
    Shortness of breath (gets worse with exercise)
    Acute myeloid leukemia
    Skin rash or lesion PubMed Health

    Swollen gums (rare) See more...

    Weight loss

    Signs and tests
    The doctor will perform a physical exam. There may be signs of a swollen spleen, liver, or
    lymph nodes.

    A complete blood count (CBC) shows anemia and a low number of platelets. A white blood
    cell count (WBC) can be high, low, or normal.

    Bone marrow aspiration will show if there are any leukemia cells.
    If your doctor learns you do have this type of leukemia, further tests will be done to
    determine the specific type of AML. There are eight subtypes of AML. They range from M0
    to M7, based on which blood cells are abnormal.

    Treatment
    Treatment involves using medicines to kill the cancer cells. This is called chemotherapy.
    But chemotherapy kills normal cells, too. This may cause side effects such as excessive
    bleeding and an increased risk for infection. Your doctor may want to keep you away from
    other people to prevent infection.

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    Other treatments for AML may include:

    Antibiotics to treat infection


    Bone marrow transplant or stem cell transplant after radiation and chemotherapy

    Red blood cell transfusions to fight anemia


    Transfusions of platelets to control bleeding

    Most types of AML are treated the same way. However, a form of AML called acute
    promyelocytic leukemia (APL) is treated with a medicine called all­trans retinoic acid
    (ATRA). This medicine helps leukemia cells grow into normal white blood cells.
    The drug arsenic trioxide is for use in patients with APL who do not get better with ATRA
    or chemotherapy.

    Support Groups
    See:
    Cancer support group

    Leukemia support group

    Expectations (prognosis)
    When the signs and symptoms of AML go away, you are said to be in remission.
    Complete remission occurs in most patients.
    With treatment, younger patients with AML tend to do better than those who develop the
    disease at an older age. The 5­year survival rate is much lower in older adults than younger
    persons. Experts say this is partly due to the fact that the body of a younger person can
    better tolerate strong chemotherapy medicines.
    If the cancer does not come back (relapse) within 5 years of the diagnosis, you are
    considered permanently cured.

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    Complications
    Complications of AML and cancer treatment include severe infections and life­threatening
    bleeding. Sometimes, the cancer comes back (relapses) after treatment.

    Calling your health care provider
    Call for an appointment with your health care provider if you develop symptoms of AML.
    Call your health care provider if you have AML and have a fever that will not go away or
    other signs of infection.

    Prevention
    If you work around radiation or chemicals linked to leukemia, you should always wear
    protective gear.

    References
    1. Appelbaum FM. The acute leukemias. In Goldman L, Ausiello D, eds. Cecil
    Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007: chap 194.
    Review Date: 9/6/2010.

    Review ed by: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of
    Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; James R. Mason, MD, Oncologist, Director, Blood
    and Marrow Transplantation Program and Stem Cell Processing Lab, Scripps Clinic, Torrey Pines, California.
    Also review ed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

    A.D.A.M., Disclaimer
    Copyright © 2011, A.D.A.M., Inc.

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