Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML)

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a kind of leukemia. It is also called acute myelogenous leukemia, acute granulocytic leukemia, acute myelocytic leukemia, acute myeloblastic leukemia, and acute nonlymphocytic leukemia.

Leukemia is. Bone marrow is the soft, inner part of bones where white and red blood cells and platelets are made. The phrase"severe" in acute myeloid leukemia refers to the simple fact that the disorder can progress immediately. Occur over a rather short time period, frequently days fourteen days.

There`s also an even more chronic type of myeloid leukemia known as chronic myeloid or chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), which has completely different demonstration and span than AML.

AML starts inside the cells of the bone marrow. These cells are called stem cells. These oldest kinds of cells, known as stem cells grow into:

• White blood cells, which fight disease and infection

• Platelets, which help prevent bleeding by causing blood.

In the majority of cases of AML, the stem cells grow into immature white blood cells (myeloblasts). The myeloblasts reproduce without becoming healthy, mature white blood cells. They crowd out healthy blood cells as the pancreatic cells multiply in the bone marrow and blood. This can lead to anemia, common infections, and easy bleeding and bruising.

Sometimes many stem cells develop into abnormal red blood cells or platelets.

Leukemia can contain cells for example lymph nodes, skin, brain and other regions of the body, away from blood vessels and the bone marrow.

AML can occur at any age. But the risk increases with old age. Until age 50, women and men are equally affected. But men that are older are more likely to come up with AML than women for reasons.

Symptoms

One of the possible signs and symptoms of AML are:

• Unexplained and persistent fever

• Marked fatigue and fatigue

• Unexpected weight loss with poor appetite

• Easy bruising or bleeding

• Serious infections

Leukemia cells which spread to the brain and spinal cord can lead to:

• Headache that is persistent and Intense

• Seizures

• Trouble with equilibrium

AML isn`t a disease. So the above mentioned symptoms are caused by some other condition.

Diagnosis

He or she`ll do a physical exam to assess for signs of disease, if your physician suspects leukemia. He or she will ask about your health history. This may include your health habits and past illnesses and treatment.

You will undergo tests and procedures to confirm the diagnosis. These tests may include:

• Blood evaluations -- Many tests may be done with blood drawn from a vein in your arm. Your blood will be analyzed to rely on the variety of blood cells. Changes on the appearance of your blood cells and at your blood chemistry will be analyzed.

• Bone marrow aspiration and biopsy -- A little sample of bone and liquid bone marrow is going to be taken from your hipbone or breastbone with a very long needle. A specially trained physician will examine the sample.

If the diagnosis is leukemia, you may possibly well be called some hematologist/oncologist. This is.

There are lots of subtypes of AML. The AML subtypes have symptoms, treatment processes, and outlooks. You are likely to undergo further tests to ascertain your subtype of AML.

These tests may include:

• Cytogenetic studies to search for many modifications in cells` genetic material.

• Immunophenotyping, an activity which defines pancreatic cells based on specific substances on the cells` surface.

You could should undergo additional tests and procedures to ascertain whether the AML has spread to other parts of the human anatomy. These tests will comprise:

• Imaging tests, such as ultrasound, CT scan or a torso Xray

• Lumbar puncture/spinal tap, which utilizes a needle to collect fluid from the spinal column.

Expected Duration

Acute myeloid leukemia could grow fast and become life-threatening if it isn`t treated right away.

Prevention

There`s no known way to stop AML

Several factors can increase a person`s risk of developing adult AML. These include:

• Exposure to certain chemicals such as benzene

• Previous cancer treatment with intensive chemotherapy and radiation therapy, especially for conditions such as Hodgkin`s and non-Hodgkin`s lymphoma and childhood acute lymphocytic leukemia

• Contact with high-dose radiation (such as a nuclear reactor accident)

• A history of several blood disorders, including myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS)

• Some disorders such as Down syndrome and Fanconi anemia

• Smoking.

People with AML would not own a risk factor.

Procedure

Acute myeloid leukemia is described as:

• Untreated. Untreated AML is newly diagnosed.

• Back in remission. AML that is in remission has been medicated. The patient does not have any signs or symptoms of leukemia.

• Recurrent (relapsed). Recurrent AML has been medicated. After going into remission, it has return.

Refractory AML is leukemia that has not responded to this treatment.

A maintenance staff will recommend treatment based on several factors, such as:

• Age of the Individual.

• The subtype of AML.

• Whether the cancer has spread to the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord).

• Whether the patient has been treated previously for another cancer.

• Perhaps the person has had a blood disorder such as myelodysplastic syndromes.

• Whether the AML has been treated earlier and return straight back again.

It is important to ask your physician about the possible benefits and risks of a specific therapy, when you are thinking about a treatment option.

There are just two phases of treatment. The first phase aims to set the leukemia into remission. The 2nd phase is meant to avoid a relapse.

Doctors kill in the blood and bone marrow as achievable. After these abnormal cells are expunged , the bone marrow is able to regenerate. The disorder is deemed to maintain remission If this phase is successful.

Regular therapy for AML involves chemotherapy to block the development of cancer cells. Chemotherapy for AML is given as combination chemotherapy. Which means that more than one anticancer drug can be used.

Chemotherapy may be taken orally or injected into a muscle or vein. It enters the bloodstream and travels throughout the human body. Chemotherapy can also be injected into the fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord. This may be achieved in order to treat adult AML which may spread to the central nervous system or has.

Chemotherapy treatments usually cause unwanted effects. Your doctor can suggest ways to control these unwanted effects. Side effects may include:

• Hair loss

• Nausea

• Mouth sores

• Infection

• Risk of illness

• Bleeding.

At the treatment phase, steps are required to kill any remaining leukemia cells which could give rise to a relapse. The 2nd phase of treatment may entail:

• Combination chemotherapy

• Chemotherapy with or without a stem cell transplant or a bone marrow transplant and radiation therapy.

Radiation therapy utilizes high-energy radiation to kill cancer cells or prevent them. It can also help reduce pain.

An even therapy for AML can be actually a stem cell transplant. A stem cell transplant replaces a person cells. Stem cell transplant may use stem cells in your own body or from a donor. Donor stem cell transplant could be necessary in the event the patient`s own stem cells are abnormal or have been destroyed by cancer treatment.

Stem cells (immature blood cells) are removed from the bone or bone marrow of a patient or donor. Once removed, they are analyzed under a microscope and the cell number is quantified. The stem cells are kept for future use.

The patient destroys chemotherapy to eliminate. The preserved stem cells are infused into the patient`s blood. They migrate in the bone marrow space. Because these are stem cells, they can regenerate and grow into the many unique cells which replicate the bone marrow.

Stem cell transplants require dose chemotherapy to rid your body of most the leukemia. Until the stem cells have had the time to grow, During the procedure, the patient cannot make any blood cells. This puts the patient at high risk of bleeding and disease. Besides this short term risks, there are also long term side effects. Stem cell transplants needs to be undertaken only in technical centers.

Treatment for continuing AML in adults depends on the subtype. It might include cell transplant chemotherapy, or different kinds of treatment.

Patients should continue to have exams and evaluations , even when they`re in remission.

When To Call a Skilled

If you notice any of these signs of AML, Get in touch with a physician. Symptoms include:

• Unexplained and persistent fever

• Marked fatigue and fatigue

• Unexpected weight loss with poor appetite

• Easy bleeding or bruising.

Prognosis

The outlook for AML Depends upon many factors including:

• Patient`s age

• Sub Type of AML based on the genetic makeup of this leukemia cells

• Presence and Form of changes to the genetic material

• Degrees of white blood cells

• Degrees of platelet counts and whether there are really no signs of Severe bleeding

• Whether the cancer has spread to the central nervous system

• Perhaps the Individual has had a blood disorder such as myelodysplastic syndromes, and it is a preleukemic condition

• Perhaps the illness is related to treatment such as chemotherapy and radiation, for another cancer

• Whether the AML return and Is treated earlier

• The form of healing and complications out of complications during the chemotherapy administration of treatment.

Children with severe leukemia get a far better prognosis than adults. Re mission is likely. Nevertheless, the drugs and the leukemia can effect learning capacities and growth, hormonal development.

External resources

National Cancer Institute (NCI)U.S. National Institutes of HealthNCI Public Inquiries Office6116 Executive Boulevard, Room 3036ABethesda, MD 20892-83221-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237)TTY: 1-800-332-8615

Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center330 Brookline AvenueDivision of OncologyBoston and Hematology MA 02215617-667-1198

American Cancer Society (ACS)Mailing address:P. O. Box 56566Atlanta, GA 30343Toll-Free: 1-800-ACS-2345 (1-800-227-2345)TTY: 1-866-228-4327http://www.cancer.org/

Dana Farber Cancer Institute44 Binney St.Boston, MA 02115Toll-Free: 1-866-408-DFCI (3324)http://www.dana-farber.org

Leukemia & Lymphoma Society1311 Mamaroneck Ave.White Plains, NY 10605-LRB-914-RRB- 949-5213; Toll-Free: 1-800-955-4572http://www.leukemia-lymphoma.org

Further information

Always consult your physician to be sure the information displayed on these pages pertains to some personal circumstances.