Acute Myelogenous Leukemia

The cancer acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) affects blood cells within bone marrow. AML is also referred to as acute myeloid leukemia, and it is the most common form of leukemia in adults.

Myeloid leukemia is classified one of two ways: chronic or acute. Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) may take several years to show symptoms in a patient. The onset of AML usually presents itself much more rapidly.

AML - Blood Cells and Bone Marrow

Bone marrow makes immature blood cells that eventually mature into white blood cells (fight off infections and disease), red blood cells (carry oxygen and nutrients to body tissues), and platelets (coagulate blood).

Patients with acute myeloid leukemia have white blood cells that do not fully develop as they should. When this happens, the immature white blood cells are called myeloblasts, or myeloid blasts. When myeloid "blasts," red blood cells and platelets overproduce and there is limited room for normal cell production. These abnormal blood cells that are created are called leukemia cells.

Causes of Acute Myelogenous Leukemia

While many of acute myelogenous leukemia's causes are unknown, doctors have definitively linked benzene exposure with the disease. Benzene is a highly toxic chemical used in a number of industrial and commercial settings. Those most at risk of dangerous exposure are people in a workplace that uses benzene.

Because benzene is such a health hazard, employers are required by law to ensure their workers' safety. Strict federal monitoring aims to lower levels of exposure and make employees aware of the possible dangers they face every day. Because employers are legally bound to ensure safety in the workplace, people are entitled to sue negligent companies. If you or a family member has ACL or another illness caused by benzene exposure, or your child has incurred a birth defect, such as mental retardation, due to prenatal benzene poisoning, contact a benzene lawyer to inquire about your rights and the possibility of receiving compensation for your pain and suffering. Please note that legal professionals treat birth defects as a separate category from a birth injury, with the latter term describing damages children incur in the process of being born.

Symptoms of Acute Myelogenous Leukemia

AML develops abruptly and quickly, many times becoming dangerous shortly after symptoms show. Acute myelogenous leukemia has a number of symptoms.

Some of the most common acute myelogenous leukemia symptoms are:

Easy bruising
Bleeding
Chronic infections
Weight fluctuations
Red blood cell deficiency (anemia)
General fatigue
Fever
Shortness of breath (dyspnea)

Many of these symptoms can point to an incorrect diagnosis of the flu or common cold. If not diagnosed early on, AML can quickly lead to illness or death.

Diagnosing Acute Myelogenous Leukemia

Patients showing the common symptoms listed above will likely, after proper examination, be diagnosed with acute myelogenous leukemia.

Myelogenous leukemia can be found though a simple blood test. A high count of malignant white blood cells and an extremely low count of red blood cells are the fist telltale signs. After blood is examined, a bone marrow aspiration or myeloid tissue biopsy can single out AML as the cause of blood cell loss and the cancer's stage can also be found.

Acute Myelogenous Leukemia - Prognosis and Treatment

Early diagnosis and treatment is essential to fight acute myelogenous leukemia. AML is most effectively battled with induction chemotherapy and post-remission chemotherapy.

In induction chemotherapy, AML is taken on with the chemotherapy drug cytarabine (ara-C), usually with the drug daunorubicin. Induction chemotherapy can be very effective, 50 to 75% of adult AML patients experience complete remission. An examination of bone marrow can determine if a patient has reached complete remission or not.

The second part of acute myelogenous leukemia treatment is post-remission chemotherapy. Post-remission chemotherapy is used to kill any remaining cancer cells that were not eliminated by induction chemotherapy. If a doctor believes AML may return, a bone marrow transplant is another aggressive treatment option. About 70 to 80% of acute myelogenous leukemia patients relapse.