21/04/2024
Today is AML awareness day.
Below are some facts about AML.
What is acute myeloid leukemia (AML)? Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a cancer of certain types of white blood cells.
AML starts in your bone marrow, the spongy tissue inside your bones. Certain types of very young cells (called myeloid stem cells) in your bone marrow, that should develop into different types of white blood cells, instead have a miscommunication and mutate and become cancerous. The cancer cells grow and spread into your blood and to other parts of your body. The cancer cells re contained in the bone marrow until it is 100% “packed” and then they spill over into the blood to spread or metastasize everywhere in the body.
"Acute" means this type of myeloid leukemia spreads very quickly and needs immediate treatment. It is life-threatening.
Even though AML is the most common leukemia in adults, it can and does happen to people at any age.
You may be tired or pale, get infections and fever easily, and bruise or bleed easily.
Doctors do blood tests and bone marrow biopsies/aspirations to find AML.
AML is currently treated with chemotherapy.
Sometimes AML is caused by chemotherapy or radiation therapy that was given to you to treat a different cancer. And this SUCKS!
Without treatment, most people with AML die within a few weeks to months, but with treatment, between 20% and 40% of people can be cured. Only 20 to 40% will survive - this is a staggering statistic!
🧡 Donating blood and platelets saves lives. I cannot even begin to count how many blood transfusions and platelet transfusions that I received
