Report on Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML)

One type of malignancy that affects the blood is called acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). Döhner, Weisdorf, and Bloomfield (2015) claim that the cells that give rise to white blood cells are where cancer often first manifests itself. In some instances, though, it might start by attacking the cells that are in charge of producing blood. AML starts in the bone marrow, the soft inside of the bones, then spreads to the blood, the central nervous system, the spleen, the liver, the lymph nodes, the testicles, and other organs, damaging the spinal cord and brain.

Running Head: ACUTE MYELOID LEUKEMIA 1
Acute Myeloid Leukemia
Name
Institution Affiliation
Date
Table of Contents

ACUTE MYELOID LEUKEMIA 2
Acute Myeloid Leukemia..............................................................................................................1
Introduction......................................................................................................................................1
Prevalence and Life Expectancy......................................................................................................1
Signs and Symptoms........................................................................................................................1
Causes and Risk Factors..................................................................................................................2
Diagnosis.........................................................................................................................................2
Treatment.........................................................................................................................................2
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................3
References........................................................................................................................................3
Introduction
Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) is one of the cancers that affect the blood. According to
Döhner, Weisdorf, & Bloomfield (2015), cancer starts typically to form in the cells that develop

ACUTE MYELOID LEUKEMIA 3
into white blood cells. However, in some cases, it might begin by attacking the cells that are
responsible for the formation of blood. AML begins in the bone marrow, which is the soft inner
part of the bones and later spreads into the blood and other parts of the body such as the spleen,
liver, lymph nodes, testicles, and the central nervous system thus affecting the spinal cord and
brain. With AML, the cells are unable to develop the way in their normal way, and the immature
cells, which are commonly referred to as blast cells, continue to build up. The term Acute
signifies the fast progression of the disease, which shows that it is actually dangerous. AML,
therefore, involves the fast growth of myeloid cells, thus affecting the overall immune system.
Based on Checkoway et al. (2015), the disease affects both adults and children, where about
19,500 people are affected by AML annually in the United States.
Prevalence and Life Expectancy
The survival rate among AML patients in a period of 5 years is only about 27.4% in the
US, and out of the 19,500 people affected by AML, about 10670 deaths take place annually due
to the disease (Checkoway et al., 2015). Every patient of AML is different, and the severity of
the diseases is mainly dependent on several things, which include the response of cancer to
treatment. People have better chances of beating the cancer or living for a longer life span if they
are below sixty years, have lower count of white blood cells when they are diagnosed with the
illness, have no history of cancers or blood diseases in their family and are free from specific
chromosome changes and genetic mutations that facilitates its prevalence.
Signs and Symptoms

ACUTE MYELOID LEUKEMIA 4
Some of the most common symptoms of AML include joints or bone pain, fever, fatigue
or weakness, inflamed lymph nodes without pain, easy bruising, appetite loss, and a swollen
abdomen (Checkoway et al., 2015). While the symptoms are commonly misdiagnosed as other
less severe diseases, this intensifies the risk of cancer progressing. AML patients have
significantly higher risks of developing other infections such as bleeding and anemia, which
further destroys their immunity and the responsiveness to treatment (Tsai et al., 2014).
Causes and Risk Factors
With respect to the risk factors and causes of AML, it remains uncertain about the actual
cause of this type of cancer, similar to other cancers. However, the risk factors that contribute to
the development of the disease are well known. First, behavioral factors are the main
contributors to the condition. Smoking increases the likelihood of AML (Tsai et al., 2014).
Cigarette smoke normally contains benzene, which has been identified as a potential cause. The
more the cigarettes that one smokes each day and the duration in terms of years that one has been
an active smoker determines the severity of the risk. Besides, exposure to some chemicals such
as pesticides, benzene, specific cleaning chemicals and detergents, paint strippers, and ionizing
radiation increases the risk of AML (Tsai et al., 2014). Also, certain chemotherapy drugs that are
particularly utilized in the treatment of other types of cancer like mitoxantrone,
cyclophosphamide, and melphalan contribute to raising the risk (Yu & Zheng, 2017). Moreover,
the condition is highly common among individuals who are exposed to high levels of radiation.
Some blood conditions, like myeloproliferative disease, are also responsible or even have a
history of leukemia in the family, particularly one that has affected a parent or sibling (Tsai et al.,
2014).

ACUTE MYELOID LEUKEMIA 5
Diagnosis
If one has the signs of AML, the physician will recommend some diagnostic tests. A
blood test is the most common diagnostic measure for AML. Most individuals with AML are
characterized by a high number of white blood cells and low platelets and red blood cells (Yu &
Zheng, 2017). The existence of immature cells in the bone marrow, which are not circulating in
the bloodstream, might detect AML. While blood tests might help in suggesting the presence of
AML, a bone marrow test is required to confirm the diagnosis where a sample of the bone
marrow is removed for laboratory testing. Lumbar puncture is another diagnosis that mainly
necessitates the removal of fluids from the spinal cord for testing (Yu & Zheng, 2017). Lastly,
genomic testing includes examining changes of genetic, chromosomes as well as other tissues to
establish any genetic alterations.
Treatment
The treatment of AML is dependent on certain factors such as age, subtype, and health
status. Remission induction is the most common therapy with the objective of killing the cancer
cells in the bone marrow and blood (Yu & Zheng, 2017). Further treatment is required if the
therapy fails to work. Consolidation therapy follows, which seeks to destroy all the bad cells that
have remained. It also lowers the chances of relapsing. Chemotherapy is one of the main
remission induction therapeutic approaches which utilize chemicals to destroy all the bad cells.
Bone marrow transplant might be recommended, which helps in re-building the stem cells, thus
creating a healthy bone marrow (Yu & Zheng, 2017).
Conclusion

ACUTE MYELOID LEUKEMIA 6
In summing up, my learning experience has been a positive one after doing the research
about Acute Myeloid Leukemia. There are too many misconceptions that exist with regard to the
causes of cancer, but through the researcher, I have gained a better experience with its risk
factors such as exposure to high radiation and unhealthy choices such as smoking. My
knowledge with regard to leukemia has expanded significantly, and I am certain that the
understanding has changed me as a person as I will try to make healthy lifestyle choices.
References
Checkoway, H., Dell, L. D., Boffetta, P., Gallagher, A. E., Crawford, L., Lees, P. S., & Mundt,
K. A. (2015). Formaldehyde exposure and mortality risks from acute myeloid leukemia

ACUTE MYELOID LEUKEMIA 7
and other Lymphohematopoietic Malignancies in the US National Cancer Institute cohort
study of workers in Formaldehyde Industries. Journal of occupational and environmental
medicine, 57(7), 785.
Döhner, H., Weisdorf, D. J., & Bloomfield, C. D. (2015). Acute myeloid leukemia. New England
Journal of Medicine, 373(12), 1136-1152.
Tsai, R. J., Luckhaupt, S. E., Schumacher, P., Cress, R. D., Deapen, D. M., & Calvert, G. M.
(2014). Acute myeloid leukemia risk by industry and occupation. Leukemia & lymphoma,
55(11), 2584–2591. doi:10.3109/10428194.2014.894189
Yu, M. G., & Zheng, H. Y. (2017). Acute Myeloid Leukemia: Advancements in Diagnosis and
Treatment. Chinese medical journal, 130(2), 211–218. doi:10.4103/0366-6999.198004