Acute Myelogenous Leukemia

Newly Diagnosed?
We Can Help

Information for those newly diagnosed with leukemia

If you or your loved one has been diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia or AML (also called acute myelogenous leukemia or acute nonlymphocytic leukemia), Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center is ready to help. Our experienced team of doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals who treat AML is dedicated to providing the highest-quality treatment and care for patients with this disease. Our patients also have access to innovative therapies through our clinical trials.

Overview
AML, one of the most common leukemias in adults, is diagnosed in about 13,400 people in the United States each year.
Symptoms
The symptoms of acute leukemia generally appear suddenly and can be similar to those of a virus or flu.
Risk Factors
Risk factors for developing AML can include smoking, inherited, or genetic, traits, and exposure to cancer-causing agents in the environment. There is only a very small chance that a person who has one of the few known risk factors for AML will develop the disease.
Diagnosis
Physicians perform an array of tests to help diagnose leukemia and determine both its type and specific subtype.
Classification
Physicians classify AML using a system devised by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Treatment
Physicians devise a course of treatment for each AML patient that takes a number of factors into consideration.
Follow-up Care
After the completion of leukemia treatment, patients should see their physicians for frequent follow-up exams for several years.

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