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Acute Myelogenous Leukemia – Definition and Diagnosis

Acute myelogenous leukemia is cancer of blood and bone marrow. Acute myelogenous leukemia normally affects the elderly. It affects myeloid line of white blood cells. Sometimes, acute myelogenous leukemia spreads to other body organs.

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Definition and Diagnosis of Acute Myelogenous Leukemia

New York (USA), June 25, 2013

What is Acute Myelogenous Leukemia?

Definition of Acute Myelogenous Leukemia

Acute myelogenous leukemia is cancer of blood and bone marrow. It is same as acute myeloblastic leukemia, acute myeloid leukemia, acute nonlymphocytic leukemia, or acute granulocytic leukemia. Acute in acute myelogenous leukemia denotes its rapid progression. Acute myelogenous leukemia is a rare disease as of now. However, its incidence could increase as population ages.

Acute myelogenous leukemia normally affects the elderly. It affects myeloid line of white blood cells, which eventually develop into white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets. Characteristic feature of acute myelogenous leukemia is extensive and uncontrolled growth of white blood cells that accumulate in bone marrow and disrupt normal production of red blood cells. This disease progresses very fast and it could turn fatal within few weeks or months if left untreated.

Diagnosis of Acute Myelogenous Leukemia

Normally acute myelogenous leukemia is diagnosed when your blood test reveals an excess of abnormal white blood cells and leukemic blasts. Sometimes, it is also present as decreased red blood cell count, low platelet count, or even low white blood cell count. Initial diagnosis is through examination of peripheral blood smear for circulating leukemic blasts. Bone marrow biopsy can deliver a definitive diagnosis.

Acute myelogenous leukemia has eight sub types ranging from M0 to M7 depending on the size and number of leukemia cells, number of healthy blood cells, genetic abnormalities, and changes in chromosomes of leukemia cells. Sometimes, acute myelogenous leukemia spreads to other body organs.

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