About Acute Myeloid Leukemia

What is adult acute myeloid leukemia?

Adult acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a disease in which cancer (malignant) cells are found in the blood and bone marrow. AML is also called acute nonlymphocytic leukemia or ANLL. The bone marrow is the spongy tissue inside the large bones in the body. The bone marrow makes red blood cells (which carry oxygen and other materials to all tissues of the body), white blood cells (which fight infection), and platelets (which make the blood clot).

Normally, the bone marrow makes cells called blasts that develop (mature) into several different types of blood cells that have specific jobs to do in the body. AML affects the blasts that are developing into white blood cells called granulocytes. In AML, the blasts do not mature and become too numerous. These immature blast cells are then found in the blood and the bone marrow.

Leukemia can be acute (progressing quickly with many immature blasts) or chronic (progressing slowly with more mature looking cancer cells). Acute myeloid leukemia progresses quickly. AML can occur in adults or children (refer to the PDQ summary on Childhood Acute Myeloid Leukemia Treatment for more information). (Refer to the PDQ summaries on Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Treatment; Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia Treatment; Adult Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Treatment; and Hairy Cell Leukemia Treatment for more information.)

AML is often difficult to diagnose. The early signs may be similar to the flu or other common diseases. A doctor should be seen if the following signs or symptoms won't go away: fever, weakness or tiredness, or achiness in the bones or joints.

If there are symptoms, a doctor may order blood tests to count the number of each of the different kinds of blood cells. If the results of the blood tests are not normal, a doctor may do a bone marrow biopsy. During this test, a needle is inserted into a bone and a small amount of bone marrow is taken out and looked at under a microscope. A doctor can then tell what kind of leukemia is present and plan the best treatment.

The chance of recovery (prognosis) depends on the type of AML and the patient's age and general health.

Stages of adult acute myeloid leukemia

There is no staging for AML. The choice of treatment depends on whether the patient has been treated.

Untreated

Untreated AML means no treatment has been given except to treat symptoms. There are too many white blood cells in the blood and bone marrow, and there may be other signs and symptoms of leukemia. Rarely, tumor cells can appear as a solid tumor called an isolated granulocytic sarcoma or chloroma.

In remission

Treatment has been given, and the number of white blood cells and other blood cells in the blood and bone marrow is normal. There are no signs or symptoms of leukemia.

Recurrent/refractory

Recurrent disease means the leukemia has come back after going into remission. Refractory disease means the leukemia has not gone into remission following treatment.