Acute Myelogenous Leukemia?
Question:
causes?
Survival rate?
risk factors?
what changes at home?
[patient is 60, 80lbs?]
any information is helpful
Answers:
The most important thing to remember is that the person white blood count is going to be very low. The person should keep away from large groups off people and anyone who is the slightest bit sick, there is a very bit risk of getting an infection. Personal hygiene is very important too, althought the affected person may not feel like it but bathing or showering everyday is very important. I dont know statistics on adults affected by AML but my daughter had it, she was diagnosed last Oct. I found it hard when the dr's said we couldnt do this or that (like taking her out for the day when she looked well) But I soon learnt to listen to what they were saying. After Chemo which is very strong, with in 7 to 10 days her counts would bottom out she would have no white count, her platelets and haemoglobin would be at very low levels and require a transfussions, her temperature would go through the roof, she would feel worse then when she was having chemo. She has finished treatment and doing really well. The web link I have added has some very good information on AML, things you are looking for. I used this when my daughter was diagnosed. I am also writting about our time with our daughters AML in my yahoo profile.
Other Answers:
Acute Myelogenous Leukemia Symptoms and Diagnosis
AML is the most common type of leukemia. More than 11,900 new cases occur in the United States each year, mostly in older adults. The average age of a person with AML is 65 years. Fewer than 10% of people with AML are children. Acute myelogenous leukemia is also called acute myeloblastic leukemia, acute myeloid leukemia, acute granulocytic leukemia or acute nonlymphocytic leukemia.
Symptoms
The symptoms of AML are caused by low numbers of healthy blood cells and high numbers of leukemia cells.
White blood cells fight infection. Low numbers can lead to fever and frequent infections.
Red blood cells carry oxygen throughout the body. Low numbers can lead to anemia -- feeling tired or weak, being short of breath and looking pale.
Platelets control bleeding. Low numbers can lead to easy bleeding or bruising and tiny red spots under the skin (petechiae).
High numbers of leukemia cells may cause pain in the bones or joints.
A person with AML may feel generally unwell and run-down. He or she may also have other, less common symptoms.
Diagnosis
AML is diagnosed when blood and bone marrow samples show a large number of leukemia cells. AML has eight subtypes, labeled M0 through M7. The subtypes are based on the type of blood cells affected. To find out the sub type and how well the leukemia might respond to treatment, the samples are looked at to find:
The number of healthy blood cells.
The size and number of leukemia cells.
The changes that appear in the chromosomes of the leukemia cells. This is called cytogenetics.
Doctors also examine the patient to find out if leukemia cells have spread outside the blood and bone marrow. Doctors may use a chest X-ray and an ultrasound of the abdomen to look at the organs and tissues inside. They may also use a test called a lumbar puncture (spinal tap) to find out whether there are leukemia cells in the fluid around the brain and spinal cord.
Treatment Options for Acute Myelogenous Leukemia
AML can get worse quickly, so doctors usually begin treatment right away. To plan treatment, doctors look at a patient's risk factors (also called prognostic factors). Risk factors are patient and disease traits that clinical studies have linked to better or worse outcomes from treatment. Examples of risk factors are a patient's age and subtype of AML. To learn more about AML risk factors as well as how treatment options may differ for children or for adults older than age 60, see Risk Factors for Planning Treatment of AML.
For a patient with AML, the treatment plan may include:
Chemotherapy -- drugs that destroy cancer cells or stop them from growing (described below).
A bone marrow or cord blood transplant (described below).
All-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) if he or she has the subtype of AML known as promyelocytic leukemia.
Gemtuzumab ozogamicin (Mylotarg) -- a type of monoclonal antibody. Monoclonal antibodies are proteins designed to attach to leukemia cells and help the immune system destroy them.
Other newer treatments that were recently developed or are still being studied in clinical trials -- you can ask your doctor whether any newer treatments may be options for you.
Whichever treatment you and your doctor choose, you may be asked to be part of a clinical trial. Even standard treatments continue to be studied in clinical trials. These studies help doctors learn more about which treatments work best for which patients.
http://www.marrow.org/PATIENT/Undrstnd_Disease_Treat/Lrn_about_Disease/AML/index.html
http://www.emedicine.com/med/topic34.htm
http://www.leukemia-lymphoma.org/all_page?item_id=8459
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000542.htm
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/acute-myelogenous-leukemia/DS00548
http://www.mskcc.org/mskcc/html/5427.cfm
This is a serious condition but remarkable advances are being made in treatment. You need to consult with a specialist in hematology/oncology for the most accurate and complete information.
It used to be uniformly fatal but not now. But it is still very serious and requires aggressive treatment.
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