Definition
By Mayo Clinic staffAcute myelogenous leukemia (AML) is a cancer of the blood and bone marrow — the spongy tissue inside bones where blood cells are made.
The word "acute" in acute myelogenous leukemia denotes the disease's rapid progression. It's called myelogenous (MI-uh-loj-uh-nus) leukemia because it affects a group of white blood cells called the myeloid cells, which normally develop into the various types of mature blood cells, such as red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets.
Acute myelogenous leukemia is also known as acute myeloid leukemia, acute myeloblastic leukemia, acute granulocytic leukemia and acute nonlymphocytic leukemia.
- Appelbaum FR. Acute myeloid leukemia in adults. In: Abeloff MD, et al. Abeloff's Clinical Oncology. 4th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Churchill Livingstone; 2007:2215.
- Miller KB, et al. Clinical manifestations of acute myeloid leukemia. In: Hoffman R, et al. Hematology: Basic Principles and Practice. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Churchill Livingstone; 2009. http://www.mdconsult.com/book/player/book.do?method=display&type=aboutPage&decorator=header&eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-443-06715-0..X5001-8--TOP&isbn=978-0-443-06715-0&uniq=203948673. Accessed June 2, 2010.
- Rowe JM, et al. Therapy for acute myeloid leukemia. In: Hoffman R, et al. Hematology: Basic Principles and Practice. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Churchill Livingstone; 2009. http://www.mdconsult.com/book/player/book.do?method=display&type=aboutPage&decorator=header&eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-443-06715-0..X5001-8--TOP&isbn=978-0-443-06715-0&uniq=203948673. Accessed June 2, 2010.
- Adult acute myeloid leukemia treatment. National Cancer Institute. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/treatment/adultAML/patient/allpages. Accessed June 3, 2010.
- Leukemia — acute myeloid — AML. Cancer.Net. http://www.cancer.net/patient/Cancer+Types/Leukemia+-+Acute+Myeloid+-+AML. Accessed June 3, 2010.
- Integrative medicine & complementary and alternative therapies as part of blood cancer care. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. http://www.leukemia-lymphoma.org/attachments/National/br_1150734030.pdf. Accessed June 3, 2010.

Find Mayo Clinic on