Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia: Staging
Once adult acute myeloid
leukemia has been diagnosed, tests are done to find out if the cancer has spread to other parts of the body. The extent or spread of cancer is usually described as stages.
However, there is no standard staging system for adult acute myeloid leukemia. Adult acute myeloid leukemia is described as untreated, in remission, or recurrent. In adult acute myeloid leukemia, the subtype of
AML and whether the leukemia has spread outside the blood and bone marrow are used, instead of stages, in order to plan AML treatment.
Current Treatment for Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia
Different types of treatment are available for patients with adult acute myeloid leukemia. Some treatments are standard (the currently used treatment), and some treatments are being tested in clinical trials.
- Chemotherapy
- Radiation therapy
- Stem cell transplantation
- Other drug therapies.
There are also two phases of treatment for adult acute myeloid leukemia treatment: remission induction therapy and maintenance therapy. Choosing the most appropriate
adult AML treatment is a decision that ideally involves the patient, the family, and the healthcare team.
The Prognosis for Adult AML
The prognosis for adult acute myeloid leukemia and treatment options will depend on:
- The age of the patient
- The subtype of AML
- How soon the cancer is detected
- Whether the patient received chemotherapy in the past to treat a different cancer
- Whether there is a history of a blood disorder such as myelodysplastic syndrome
- Whether the cancer has spread to the central nervous system
- Whether the cancer has been treated before or recurred (come back).
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