There are three main types of leukemia. Show
Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL)Acute lymphocytic leukemia, also called lymphoblastic or lymphoid, accounts for about 75 percent of the childhood leukemias. In this form of the disease, the lymphocyte cell line is affected. The lymphocytes normally fight infection. With acute lymphocytic leukemia, the bone marrow makes too many of these lymphocytes and they do not mature correctly. The lymphocytes overproduce, thus, crowding out other blood cells. Immature blood cells (blasts) do not work properly to fight infection. Acute leukemia can occur over a short period of days to weeks. Chromosome abnormalities (extra chromosomes and structural changes in the chromosome material) are present in the majority of ALL patients. Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML)Acute myelogenous leukemia also called granulocytic, myelocytic, myeloblastic, or myeloid, accounts for about 19 percent of the childhood leukemias. Acute myelogenous leukemia is a cancer of the blood in which too many granulocytes, a type of white blood cell, are produced in the marrow. The granulocytes normally fight infection. With acute myelogenous leukemia, the bone marrow makes too many of these cells and they do not mature correctly. The granulocytes overproduce, thus, crowding out other blood cells. Immature blood cells (blasts) do not work properly to fight infection. Acute leukemia can occur over a short period of days to weeks. Children with certain genetic syndromes, including Fanconi anemia, Bloom syndrome, Kostmann syndrome, and Down syndrome, are at a higher risk of developing AML than other children. Chronic Myeloblastic Leukemia (CML)Chronic myeloblastic leukemia is uncommon in children. Chronic myeloblastic leukemia is cancer of the blood in which too many granulocytes, a type of white blood cell, are produced in the marrow. The granulocytes normally fight infection. With this disease, the bone marrow makes too many of these cells and they do not mature correctly. The marrow continues to produce these abnormal cells which crowd out other healthy blood cells. Chronic myeloblastic leukemia can occur over a period of months or years. A specific chromosome rearrangement is found in patients with CML. Part of chromosome #9 breaks off and attaches itself to chromosome #22, so that there is an exchange of genetic material between these two chromosomes. This rearrangement changes the position and functions of certain genes, which results in uncontrolled cell growth. Other chromosome abnormalities can also be present. What is the Difference Between Lymphocytic and Myelogenous Leukemia?The difference between lymphocytic and myelogenous is the stage of development on what is called the pluripotent stem cell. The pluripotent stem cell is the first stage of development of all of the blood cells (white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets). This stem cell goes through stages of development until it matures into a functioning cell. The type of leukemia is determined by where the cell is in the stage of development when it becomes malignant, or cancerous. The stem cell matures into either the lymphoid or myeloid cells. The lymphoid cells mature into either B-lymphocytes or T-lymphocytes. If the leukemia is among these cells, it is called acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL). If the leukemia is found even further along this stage of development, it can be further classified as B-cell ALL or T-cell ALL. The more mature the cell, the more difficult it is to treat. The myeloid cells develop into platelets, red blood cells, and specialized white blood cells called neutrophils and macrophages. There are many classifications of AML. The type of leukemia is determined by the stage of development when the normal cells become leukemia cells. What are the symptoms of leukemia? OverviewLeukemia is an umbrella term for cancers of the blood cells. There are several types of leukemia, each of which is classified based on the type of blood cells that are affected and whether the leukemia is acute or chronic. Acute leukemias have a rapid onset and progress quickly, whereas chronic leukemias develop slowly and progress over several years. Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is the most common type of acute leukemia in adults. It tends to affect older people—the average age at diagnosis is 68—though it can also occur in adolescents and children. According to the National Cancer Institute, it accounts for 1.1% of all cancer cases in the U.S., and an estimated 20,240 people in the U.S. were diagnosed with it in 2021. In people with AML, symptoms usually develop and progress rapidly over the course of a few weeks. Because it is an aggressive cancer, treatment should start as soon as it is diagnosed. “Many patients with AML have the prospect of cure, but this is a heterogeneous disease for which the treatments and patient journey can vary greatly,” says Smilow Cancer Hospital hematologist Rory Shallis, MD. “The low blood counts that can come with AML—and the treatments directed against it—are addressed with blood product transfusions, vigilance for infection prevention and treatment, and other layers of support to help patients realize the potential benefits of therapy." This is an encouraging time for the treatment of AML, for which many ‘targeted’ therapies are now standards of care and many more are in development with promising initial results, he adds. Leukemia begins in the bone marrow—the spongy tissue at the center of the bones—where new blood cells (white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets) are produced. This process is tightly regulated to ensure that new blood cells are healthy. In patients with leukemia, genetic changes (mutations) disrupt this regulation, resulting in the production of large numbers of abnormal blood cells that are unable to perform their usual functions. In AML, the bone marrow produces large numbers of abnormal myoblasts, a type of white blood cell that does not mature, leading to a shortage of infection-fighting white blood cells. Because of this, people with AML are more prone to infections. These leukemia cells enter the blood stream and can spread to other parts of the body. As the number of abnormal myoblasts increases, they accumulate in the bone marrow and crowd out healthy blood cells. Eventually, the bone marrow can no longer produce enough healthy red blood cells and platelets to meet the body’s needs. Because red blood cells carry oxygen to tissues and organs around the body, people with low levels of red blood cells may have shortness of breath and feel tired. Platelets help stop bleeding by facilitating the formation of blood clots, and people with low numbers of them may bruise and bleed easily. Unlike many other kinds of cancer, AML usually does not form tumors. In rare cases, though, a tumor called a myeloid sarcoma may form. They can affect any part of the body. What are the subtypes of acute myeloid leukemia?There are several subtypes of AML, each of which is classified based on characteristics of the leukemia cells involved, including the presence of certain gene or chromosome abnormalities, proteins, and other features. AML subtypes may cause different symptoms, and some have a more favorable prognosis than others. The World Health Organization (WHO) divides AML into several categories, each of which is made up of multiple subtypes of AML. These categories include:
Treatment may also vary by subtype. Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL), for instance, is a subtype of AML in which genes from one chromosome switch places with genes on another chromosome. People with APL may have severe bleeding and impaired blood clotting. APL is treated with different drugs than other forms of AML. What are the risk factors for acute myeloid leukemia?Acute myeloid leukemia is caused by genetic abnormalities or changes. These may be inherited, occur spontaneously, or arise due to certain environmental exposures. Risk factors for AML include:
What are the symptoms of acute myeloid leukemia?Symptoms may include:
How is acute myeloid leukemia diagnosed?Diagnosing AML usually involves a review of the patient’s medical history, a physical exam, and one or more diagnostic tests. The doctor will begin to make a diagnosis by asking about symptoms and risk factors linked to AML. During the physical exam, the doctor will check the skin for bruising or other changes indicative of AML. He or she will also examine the patient’s eyes and mouth, feel the abdomen for evidence of an enlarged spleen or liver, evaluate nervous system function, and check for enlarged lymph nodes. Additional testing is usually necessary to confirm the diagnosis. These tests may include:
If AML is diagnosed, additional tests may be necessary to assess how it is affecting other parts of the body. These tests may include:
How is acute myeloid leukemia treated?Doctors determine the best course of treatment based on various factors, including the subtype of AML, as well as the patient’s age and general health. In general, though, treatment of AML is divided into two phases:
In addition to chemotherapy and stem cell transplantation, other treatments for AML may be used, including:
Sometimes, AML does not respond well to treatment or comes back after a period of remission. In these cases, in addition to the therapies discussed above, patients may be offered the option of joining a clinical trial or beginning palliative care. Subtypes of AML may require a different course of treatment. APL, for example, is treated with drugs called differentiation agents. In addition to the induction and consolidation phases of therapy, APL treatment has a third phase called maintenance therapy. In this phase, patients are given low doses of ATRA (all-trans retinoic acid) for a year or two following initial treatment. What is the outlook for people who have acute myeloid leukemia?The outlook for people who have AML depends on several factors, including the patient’s age, general health, and whether they have previously been treated with chemotherapy for another medical condition. In general, younger, healthier patients who have no history of chemotherapy have better outcomes. The subtype of AML, whether the cancer cells have certain genetic changes, and a number of other factors also affect the prognosis. The five-year survival rate for adults with AML in the U.S. is 29.5%. For children and adolescents aged 19 or younger, the five-year survival rate is 66%. APL has a more favorable prognosis than AML and, in the majority of cases, can be cured. What makes Yale Medicine's approach to acute myeloid leukemia unique?“Being a patient at Yale means getting more than the ‘standard of care,’” says Dr. Shallis. “When someone is either diagnosed with or has a concern for AML, they are seen by an AML specialist who performs a thorough evaluation in conjunction with other members of our team comprised not only of physicians, but also of advanced practice providers, nurses, social workers, nutritionists, and clinical trial staff, among others. They span across other specialties from Palliative Care to Bone Marrow Transplant.” Every patient is evaluated for a clinical trial, which is personalized to disease and patient specifics. Such trials also have the potential to offer access to cutting-edge agents that may be game-changers in the near future, he adds. “Although Yale rests between two major metropolitan centers with cancer centers with whom we collaborate and have many of the same clinical trials, resources and patient outcomes, our family-like atmosphere is hard to ignore. When combined with our excellent tools to help patients along their journey with AML, Yale is definitely a special place to seek and receive care,” says Dr. Shallis. What is the most common type of acute leukemia in adults?Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a cancer of the blood and bone marrow. It is the most common type of acute leukemia in adults. This type of cancer usually gets worse quickly if it is not treated. AML is also called acute myelogenous leukemia and acute nonlymphocytic leukemia.
What causes acute leukemia in adults?Acute lymphocytic leukemia occurs when a bone marrow cell develops changes (mutations) in its genetic material or DNA. A cell's DNA contains the instructions that tell a cell what to do. Normally, the DNA tells the cell to grow at a set rate and to die at a set time.
What is acute leukemia in adults?Adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a type of cancer in which the bone marrow makes too many lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell). Leukemia may affect red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. Previous chemotherapy and exposure to radiation may increase the risk of developing ALL.
What type of anemia is usually seen in patients with acute leukemia?Abstract. Leukemic patients of different classifications are associated with anemia. Such clinical conditions are often referred to as refractory anemia, paraoxymal nocturnal hemoglobinuria, hemolytic uremia and autoimmune hemolytic anemia, all of which could be categorized as the cancer cachexia.
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