Acute myeloid leukaemia

About acute myeloid leukaemia
Symptoms of acute myeloid leukaemia
Causes of acute myeloid leukaemia
Diagnosing acute myeloid leukaemia
Treating acute myeloid leukaemia
Complications of acute myeloid leukaemia

About acute myeloid leukaemia

Leukaemia is cancer of the white blood cells. Acute leukaemia means it progresses rapidly and aggressively, and usually requires immediate treatment.

Acute leukaemia is classified according to the type of white blood cells affected. The 2 main types of white blood cells are:

lymphocytes – mostly used to fight viral infections
myeloid cells – which perform a number of different functions, such as fighting bacterial infections, defending the body against parasites and preventing the spread of tissue damage

This topic focuses on acute myeloid leukaemia (AML), which is an aggressive cancer of the myeloid cells. The following types of leukaemia are covered separately:

acute lymphoblastic leukaemia
chronic myeloid leukaemia
chronic lymphocytic leukaemia

Signs and symptoms of AML

The symptoms of AML usually develop over a few weeks and become increasingly more severe. Symptoms can include:

pale skin
tiredness
breathlessness
frequent infections
unusual and frequent bleeding, such as bleeding gums or nosebleeds

In more advanced cases, AML can make you extremely vulnerable to life-threatening infections or serious internal bleeding.

Read more about the complications of AML

Seeking medical advice

You should see your GP if you or your child have possible symptoms of AML. Although it’s highly unlikely that leukaemia is the cause, these symptoms should be investigated.

If your GP thinks you may have leukaemia, they’ll arrange blood tests to check your blood cell production. If the tests suggest there’s a problem, you’ll be urgently referred to a haematologist (a specialist in treating blood conditions) for further tests and any necessary treatment.

What causes AML?

AML occurs when specialised cells called stem cells, which are found in the bone marrow (a spongy material inside the bones), produce too many immature white blood cells. These immature cells are known as blast cells.

Blast cells don’t have the infection-fighting properties of healthy white blood cells, and producing too many can lead to a decrease in the number of red blood cells (which carry oxygen in the blood) and platelets (cells that help the blood to clot).

It’s not clear exactly why this happens and, in most cases, there’s no identifiable cause. However, a number of factors that can increase your risk of developing AML have been identified. These include:

previous chemotherapy or radiotherapy
exposure to very high levels of radiation (including previous radiotherapy treatment)
exposure to benzene – a chemical used in manufacturing that’s also found in cigarette smoke
having an underlying blood disorder or genetic disorder, such as Down’s syndrome

Who’s affected

AML is a rare type of cancer. The risk of developing AML increases with age. It’s most common in people over 65.

How AML is treated

AML is an aggressive type of cancer that can develop rapidly, so treatment usually needs to begin soon after a diagnosis is confirmed.

Chemotherapy is the main treatment for AML. It’s used to kill as many leukaemia cells in your body as possible and reduce the risk of the condition coming back (relapsing).

In some cases, intensive chemotherapy and radiotherapy may be needed, in combination with a bone marrow or stem cell transplant, to achieve a cure.