Acute myeloid leukemia, called “AML,” is a type of blood cancer. AML is usually fast-growing and needs to be treated quickly. Blood is made up of different types of cells. These cells are made in the middle of the bones, in a part called the bone marrow. When people have AML, their bone marrow makes abnormal blood cells instead of normal blood cells. These abnormal blood cells grow out of control, get into the blood, and travel around the body. Sometimes, these cells collect in certain parts of the body. The bone marrow makes abnormal blood cells; it does not make the normal blood cells a person’s body needs. This can cause symptoms.

 Symptoms of AML — the most common symptoms of AML include:

• Feeling very tired and weak
• Bleeding more easily than normal
• Getting sick from infections more easily than normal

Test for AML — the doctor or nurse will talk with people and do an exam. He or she will also do:

• Blood tests
• Bone marrow biopsy – A doctor will take a very small sample of the bone marrow. Then another doctor will look at the cells under a microscope to see if abnormal (cancer) cells are present.

There are different types of AML. The test results can show which type they have. The right treatment for AML will depend a lot on the age and the type of AML they have.

Treatment for AML usually includes 2 parts:

The first part of treatment is called “induction of remission” and lasts about 4 weeks. During this part, people stay in the hospital and get chemotherapy. Chemotherapy is the term doctors use to describe a group of medicines that kill cancer cells.

Many people are in “remission” after the chemotherapy. This means that doctors do not see any abnormal blood cells in the blood or bone marrow. But even though doctors do not see any abnormal cells, there are still abnormal cells in the body. To kill these cells and prevent the AML from returning, people need more treatment.

The second part of treatment is called “post-remission therapy.” During this time, people can have one or more of the following treatments:

• More chemotherapy – People stay in the hospital for a few days each month to get chemotherapy. This treatment can last 3 or 4 months.
• Radiation therapy – Radiation kills cancer cells.
• Bone marrow transplant – This treatment replaces cells in the bone marrow that are killed by chemotherapy or radiation. These “donor” cells can come from different places, including:
• People who are related to you, and whose blood matches yours
• People who are not related to you, but whose blood matches yours
• Blood (that matches yours) from a newborn baby’s umbilical cord
• You – Your cells can be taken out of your bone marrow before your treatment is completed and put back in after you have completed chemotherapy or radiation treatment.

 After treatment, the doctor will check every so often to see if the cancer comes back. Regular follow-ups include talking with the doctor, exams, and blood tests. Sometimes, the doctor will also do a bone marrow biopsy.

 AML comes back— If the AML comes back, they might have more chemotherapy, radiation, or bone marrow transplantation. It’s important to follow all the doctor’s instructions about visits and tests. It’s also important to talk to the doctor about any side effects or problems have during treatment.