Disease state resources
Acute myeloid leukemia fact sheet

AML is a blood cancer that starts in the bone marrow but moves quickly into the blood, sometimes spreading to other parts of the body. 
 

What is AML?

 

 

DNA

Leukemia is classified based on two attributes—its speed of progression and the type of white blood cells affected.

 

Leukemia is described as being either acute (fast growing) or chronic (slow growing), and either myelogenous (affecting the myeloid cells) or lymphocytic (affecting the lymphoid cells, or lymphocytes).

Global incidence

Globe

 

AML is the most common type of acute leukemia in adults. Patients
70 and older
have a higher incidence rate

In 2021, the worldwide incidence of AML was nearly
144,645
Fast growing

Fast growing leukemia

Acute lymphocytic leukemia



Acute myeloid (or myelogenous) leukemia

Slow growing

Slow growing leukemia

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia



Chronic myeloid (or myelogenous) leukemia

Causes and risk factors

DNA

Today, researchers understand a lot more about what may cause AML. DNA mutations, which may result from exposure to radiation, cancer-causing chemicals or the aging process, are commonly found in AML cells.

Signs and symptoms

At first, patients with AML often have non-specific symptoms usually associated with more common ailments like the flu. Often, signs and symptoms result from a shortage of normal blood cells, which happens when the leukemia cells crowd out the normal blood-making cells in the bone marrow.

These signs and symptoms include:


Fever Bleeding Shortness of breath Weight loss or loss of appetite Weakness or feeling tired Petechiae [red or purple pinpoint spots on the skin]
Fever
Easy bruising or bleeding
Shortness of breath
Weight loss or loss of appetite
Weakness or feeling tired
Petechiae [red or purple pinpoint spots on the skin]

Prognosis


In general, prognosis for AML patients is poor.
 

Prognosis is influenced by patient age, AML subtype, and other factors

Estimated 5-year survival rate for AML is 29.5% in US populations
 

The median survival after relapse is <5 months for older patients in the US

Treatment

Standard types of frontline (or initial) treatment for AML include:

 

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy, which may be given in two phases: induction therapy and consolidation therapy
Bone

Stem cell/bone marrow transplants which are typically used in younger, generally healthy patients when a donor is available
Pills

Hypomethylating agents which are typically used in older patients who are ineligible for intensive treatment
DNA

Research has also shown that the presence or absence of specific gene mutations—including in isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH), CEBPA, NPM and FLT3—can inform prognosis and guide treatment decisions in AML
DNA

Innovative, targeted therapies directed against mutations - those currently approved and those in development -
have broadened the treatment landscape