Details of Acute Myeloid Leukemia-AML

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) starts in the bone marrow, but most often it quickly moves into the blood, as well. It can sometimes spread to other parts of the body including the lymph nodes, liver, spleen, central nervous system.

• Fever.
• Bone pain.
• Lethargy and fatigue.
• Shortness of breath.
• Pale skin.
• Frequent infections.
• Easy bruising.
• Unusual bleeding, such as frequent nosebleeds and bleeding from the gums.

Acute myelogenous leukemia is caused by damage to the DNA of developing cells in your bone marrow. When this happens, blood cell production goes wrong. The bone marrow produces immature cells that develop into leukemic white blood cells called myeloblasts. These abnormal cells are unable to function properly, and they can build up and crowd out healthy cells.

• Blood tests.
• Bone marrow test.
• Lumbar puncture (spinal tap).
• Genomic testing. 

Treatment therapies:

1. Chemotherapy. Chemotherapy uses chemicals to kill cancer cells in your body.
2. Targeted therapy. Targeted therapy uses drugs that attack specific vulnerabilities within your cancer cells. This drug is administered in pill form.
3. Other drug therapy. Arsenic trioxide (Trisenox) and all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) are anti-cancer drugs that can be used alone or in combination with chemotherapy for remission induction of a certain subtype of AML called promyelocytic leukemia.
4. Bone marrow transplant.A bone marrow transplant helps re-establish healthy stem cells by replacing unhealthy bone marrow with leukemia-free stem cells that will regenerate healthy bone marrow. Prior to a bone marrow transplant, you receive very high doses of chemotherapy or radiation therapy to destroy your leukemia-producing bone marrow.

Which may increase your risk:

• Increasing age.
• Your sex.
• Previous cancer treatment.
• Exposure to radiation.
• Dangerous chemical exposure.
• Smoking.
• Other blood disorders.
• Genetic disorders.