Acute myelogenous leukemia (AML), also known as acute myeloid leukemia, is a type of cancer that starts in your bone marrow (the soft, spongy tissue inside the bones that makes blood cells). AML is rare, affecting about 4 in 100,000 people every year. It’s most likely to affect older adults, but it can also affect children.
With AML, the bone marrow makes too many immature white blood cells. These abnormal cells, called leukemia cells, don’t develop into normal white blood cells. Instead, they multiply and leave little room for healthy blood cells to develop.
AML tends to spread very quickly. AML symptoms include fever, easy bruising, fatigue, and bone or joint pain. Treatment for AML has improved over the years, and the sooner it is diagnosed and treated, the better the outcomes may be.
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