Acute Myelogenous Leukemia | Acute Myeloid Leukemia | AML Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment
Acute Myelogenous Leukemia is not a common type of leukemia cancer. Acute Myelogenous is also known as Acute Myeloid Leukemia and abbreviated as AML. This rare type of cancer is mostly observed in adults. Acute refers to fact that AML has capacity to become fatal in very quick time. So it requires immediate treatment.
Leukemia is type of cancer which is caused by abnormal production of blood cells in bone marrow. Abnormal production means that bone marrow produces immature cells which can not perform regular functions. In Acute Myelogenous Leukemia, immature cells are produced at more rapid speed. Another problem with these immature cells is that these cells tend to remain in the body for longer time than normal cells. Normal blood cells die after about 120 days and new healthy cells replace old cells but leukemic cells do not die easily. With passage of time, AML cells replace most of the health cells in body. AML require immediate treatment than chronic type of leukemia cancer because growth of leukemic cells is very fast in Acute Myeloid Leukemia.
Why this type of cancer is called Acute Myeloid Leukemia? All blood cells in bone marrow are produced from two types of basic cells including Myeloid and Lymphoid cells. Blood cells in our body consist of tree main types including white blood cells, red blood cells and platelets. Of these three types, white blood cells are further categorized into five sub type. Few of these types are produced from myeloid cells and few are produced from lymphoid source. Red cells and platelets are grown up form of myeloid cells. Myelogenous leukemia starts with a problem in myeloid source. Main reason for leukemia is abnormal production of white cells. But as red cells and platelets are also produced from myeloid sources, AML may also start to produce immature red cells and platelets.
Acute Myelogenous Leukemia symptoms
As in all types of leukemia cancer, body loses normal blood cells, mostly white cells. So the few symptoms are common in all types of leukemia. Acute Myelogenous Leukemia symptoms are following,
-Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Spleen size may increase in AML
-Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â In other types of leukemia, swelling of lymph nodes is usually seen. But it is not common symptom in Acute Myeloid Leukemia.
-Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Swelling in gums may be seen in some patients
-Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Sudden and unexplained bruising
-Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Solid looking tumor outside bone marrow.
-Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Shortness of breath
-Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â In AML, as body also loses red blood cells. Red cells contain hemoglobin and are responsible for oxygen transportation in body. Lack of red cells lead to anemia and other such diseases.
Acute Myeloid Leukemia Diagnosis
Diagnosis of AML is done using following techniques,
-Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Complete blood count test is taken. Increased count of white cells and white cells blast indicates possibility of leukemia. AML may also result in lack of red cells and platelets.
-Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Optical microscopy and flow cytometry is used to examine bone marrow to find out leukemic cells. This technique is used to distinguish leukemia from other types of leukemia cancer. It is also used to find out sub type of AML.
AML Treatment
Treatment of Acute Myelogenous is usually done using chemotherapy and stem cells transplant. Chemotherapy is done in two phases, induction and consolidation.
The goal of induction phase is to achieve a phase where leukemic cells fall below detectable level. Consolidation therapy is then applied to kill all remaining immature cells. If induction therapy fails then stem cells transplantation option is used to treat AML. Stem cells transplantation is also used if the patient re-develops AML after successful induction therapy.
September 9, 2011
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