Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) is a type of blood cancer. It forms when the body produces abnormal white blood cells (which are normally infection fighters). These cells then interfere with the body's ability to produce normal blood cells. AML is largely diagnosed in older adults (over age 65). Symptoms may include fatigue, easy bruising, and fever. Abnormal blood test findings may be the first sign that AML is present; a bone marrow biopsy can confirm the diagnosis including details around subtype. As with many forms of cancer, it is not exactly clear what the cause of AML is, but there are several risk factors that point to an increased risk: genetics, environmental exposure (especially chemicals, such as benzene), and previous cancer treatments (specifically, chemotherapy and radiation). AML can be challenging because symptoms may be downplayed or confused for other conditions, yet it tends to grow aggressively. At diagnosis there may be imaging tests to see if the leukemia has spread to other areas.

Treatment for AML is based on several factors. Beyond age and overall health status, the specific AML subtype is also a key piece of information when a doctor is creating a treatment plan. Some subtypes respond better to specific therapies than others. Generally, treatment for leukemia is talked about in two phases. The first, induction, typically relies on multiple rounds of chemotherapy to eliminate abnormal cells. Once this has happened, the patient is considered to be in remission. From here the second phase, consolidation therapy, begins. This treatment seeks to prevent a return of the leukemia. There are different approaches here though powerful chemotherapy agents may again be used over a period of months. Ultimately a stem cell transplant (also called a bone marrow transplant) may be recommended for patients who are higher risk based on genetic information or any remaining presence of disease. This procedure replaces diseased cells with healthy cells from a donor, or in some cases, from the patient. It is a complex procedure that takes many months to fully recover from including time in insolation and ongoing focus on infection avoidance.