Acute myeloid leukaemia (AML)
To understand how and why leukaemia affects you as it does, it helps to know how you make blood cells.
Your body makes in the bone marrow. The bone marrow is the soft, spongy tissue in the inner part of your bones. You make blood cells in a controlled way, as your body needs them. This continuous supply keeps your blood healthy and your body functioning properly.
All blood cells start as the same type of cell, called a stem cell. This stem cell can turn into any type of blood cell. The stem cell can develop into:
myeloid stem cells
lymphoid stem cells
Myeloid stem cells become:
monocytes
red blood cells
platelets
white blood cells called granulocytes - neutrophils are a type of granulocyte
Lymphoid stem cells develop into white blood cells called lymphocytes. Examples include B lymphocytes and T lymphocytes.
The diagram below helps to explain this:
In acute myeloid leukaemia, the bone marrow makes too many monocytes or granulocytes. These cells are not fully developed and are not able to work normally.
These abnormal cells build up in the bone marrow. They block healthy blood cells from developing. They can also spill out into the blood and eventually spread to other parts of the body. This includes the:
liver
gums, skin, muscle, and , but this is less common
The word acute means that the leukaemia can develop fairly quickly. This is different from chronic leukaemia which usually develops very slowly.
Find out about other types of leukaemia
You usually need to start treatment quickly after your diagnosis. If you don't have treatment, the leukaemia will cause death within a few weeks or months. But improvements in treatment mean doctors can now plan treatment based on your situation and health.
Your outlook () for AML depends on many factors including:
age at diagnosis
in the leukaemia cells
how advanced the AML is
Find out more about survival for AML
Leukaemia can affect your blood and other areas of your body.
White blood cells help fight infection. If your body makes a lot of abnormal white blood cells, they can prevent normal healthy cells from developing. So you are more likely to get infections and may find it difficult to get rid of them.
Too many white blood cells can overcrowd the bone marrow. So there isn't enough space to make other types of blood cells. This can cause a lower than normal number of red blood cells and platelets.
Having too few red blood cells is called anaemia. It can make you tired and breathless.
Platelets are blood cells that help your blood to clot. If you don’t have enough platelets, you can have bleeding problems such as bruising or nosebleeds.
Abnormal white blood cells can also build up in other parts of the body, such as the spleen, lymph nodes or the liver. This can make your tummy (abdomen) swell and feel uncomfortable.
The leukaemia cells can also spread to the brain in some people.
Find out about symptoms of AML
AML is rare. Around 2,700 people are diagnosed with AML in the UK every year. This number includes children and adults.
Adults or children can get AML. It is most common in older people. Around 40 out of 100 (around 40%) of new cases are in people aged 75 and over.
Last reviewed: 25 Sept 2023
Next review due: 25 Sept 2026
We don’t know what causes most cases of acute myeloid leukaemia. But there are some factors that may increase your risk of developing it.
Doctors divide AML into different groups (subtypes). They also divide AML into risk groups based on genetic changes and other factors.
Symptoms of AML can include tiredness, breathlessness, high temperature, frequent infections and bruising or bleeding easily.
There are a number of tests to diagnose acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). These include blood tests and a bone marrow test.
There are many different types of leukaemia and the treatment varies for each of them. Get information about the main types.
AML is a type of blood cancer that starts in white blood cells in the bone marrow. Find out about the symptoms, risks, treatment and support for people with AML.
