- Symptoms of acute myeloid leukemia
- Diagnosis and classification
- Treatment for acute myeloid leukemia
Acute myeloid leukemia, also known as AML, is a type of cancer that affects blood cells and begins in the bone marrow, which is the organ responsible for the production of blood cells. This type of cancer has a greater chance of cure when it is diagnosed in its initial stage, when there is still no metastasis and causes symptoms such as weight loss and swelling of the tongues and belly, for example.
Acute myeloid leukemia proliferates very quickly and can happen in people of all ages, however it is more frequent in adults, as cancer cells accumulate in the bone marrow and are released into the bloodstream, where they are sent to other organs., such as liver, spleen or central nervous system, where they continue to grow and develop.
The treatment of acute myeloid leukemia can be done at the cancer hospital and it is very intense in the first 2 months, and at least 1 more year of treatment is necessary for the disease to be cured.
Symptoms of acute myeloid leukemia
The most common symptoms of acute myeloid leukemia include:
- Anemia, which is characterized by a decrease in the amount of hemoglobin; Feeling of weakness and general malaise; Paleness and headache that are caused by anemia; Frequent bleeding characterized by easy nasal bleeding and increased menstruation; Occurrence of large bruises even in small bumps; Loss of appetite and weight loss without apparent cause; Swollen and painful tongues, especially in the neck and groin; Frequent infections; Pain in bones and joints; Fever; Shortness of breath and cough; Excessive night sweat, which gets to wet clothes; Abdominal discomfort caused by swelling of the liver and spleen.
Acute myeloid leukemia is a type of blood cancer that most commonly affects adults, and its diagnosis can be made after blood tests, lumbar puncture and bone marrow biopsy.
Diagnosis and classification
The diagnosis of acute myeloid leukemia is based on the symptoms presented by the person and the results of tests, such as blood count, bone marrow analysis and molecular and immunohistochemical tests. Through the blood count, it is possible to observe a decrease in the amount of white blood cells, the presence of circulating immature white blood cells and a lower amount of red blood cells and platelets. To confirm the diagnosis, it is important that the myelogram is performed, in which it is made from the puncture and collection of a bone marrow sample, which is analyzed in the laboratory. Understand how the myelogram is made.
To identify the type of acute myeloid leukemia, it is important that molecular and immunohistochemical tests are performed to identify characteristics of the cells found in the blood that are characteristic of the disease, this information being important to determine the prognosis of the disease and for the doctor to indicate the most appropriate treatment.
Once the type of AML is identified, the doctor can determine the prognosis and establish the chances of a cure. AML can be classified into some subtypes, which are:
| Types of myeloid leukemia | Prognosis of the disease |
|
M0 - Undifferentiated leukemia |
Too bad |
| M1 - Acute myeloid leukemia without differentiation | Medium |
| M2 - Acute myeloid leukemia with differentiation | Good |
| M3 - Promyelocytic leukemia | Medium |
| M4 - Myelomonocytic leukemia | Good |
| M5 - Monocytic leukemia | Medium |
| M6 - Erythroleukemia | Too bad |
|
M7 - Megakaryocytic leukemia |
Too bad |
Treatment for acute myeloid leukemia
Treatment for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is indicated by the oncologist and can be performed through chemotherapy with various medications and bone marrow transplantation.
Chemotherapy may include the use of medications such as cytarabine for 1 week and daunorubicin for 3 days, as well as thioguanine or vincristine and prednisone, for example. This treatment reduces the amount of white blood cells in the body, and can leave the person more vulnerable to infections and symptoms such as tiredness, fatigue and anemia and, if there is infection, there may be an indication for treatment with antibiotics.
A few months after the initial treatment, the patient may undergo additional chemotherapy, which guarantees the elimination of as many cancer cells as possible. Better understand how treatment is done for acute myeloid leukemia.
