Acute Myelogenous Leukemia

Here I will break down the term "Acute Myelogenous Leukemia" to make it easier to understand.

Myelogenous: Referring to the cancer's origin within the bone marrow or spinal cord.

Leukemia: Indicates an over production of blood cells creating a cancerous state.

AML is characterized by the overproduction of white blood cells which interferes with the body's natural production of healthy, mature blood cells.



When the body doesn't have enough healthy white blood cells a person becomes more susceptible to infection.

A lack of red blood cells will diminish the oxygen distribution throughout the body and can cause fatigue and shortness of breath.

If your blood's supply of platelets decreases due to the overproduction of white blood cells you may become much more susceptible to bruising and bleeding.

People who have received certain kind of chemotherapy or radiation therapy for Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia as children may be more likely to be diagnosed with AML as an adult.

Exposure to chemicals such as Benzene may also put people at a higher risk of developing AML. Smoking is a prime cause of exposure to benzene.

Interesting Fact: Smokers over the age of 60 are at twice the risk of developing AML (according to the Mayo Clinic)

For those of you that would like more technical details about Acute Myelogenous Leukemia...

Myelogenous-Leukemia.com © 2007 - 2008 Not affiliated with any drug company. Information is provided for personal education and not meant to be used for self-diagnosis or any other medical purpose. Always consult your physician or specialist for answers to your medical questions. The website author(s) and contributors do not claim to be medical practitioners and will accept no responsibility for the use or misuse of the information contained within myelogenous-Leukemia.com.