AML Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Do You Have AML Acute Myeloid Leukemia

AML Acute Myeloid Leukemia

AML can be caused by exposure to chemicals in the workplace and is not that uncommon.

Were you or a loved one exposed to Dangerous Chemicals? Did dangerous chemicals cause your illness? Have you been diagnosed with AML? Chemicals are known to cause serious injuries.

Have you ever been employed & worked in one of these trades & recently diagnosed with AML?

• Chemical workers,
• Rubber workers,
• Shoe/ leather workers,
• Pulp manufacturing workers,
• Newspaper press workers,
• Adhesive product workers,
• Oil refinery workers,
• Wood stain manufacturing workers,
• Varnish manufacturing workers,
• Pesticide manufacturing workers,
• Industrial plant workers,
• Gasoline distribution workers. 

AML Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Symptoms of AML: 

• Fatigue,
• Malaise,
• Weakness,
• Abnormal bleeding,
• Excessive bruising,
• Bone or joint pain,
• noticeable Weight loss,
• Infection and/ or fever,
• Enlarged spleen and liver,
• Reduced exercise tolerance,
• Enlarged lymph nodes,
• Abdominal pain or "fullness"

Do You or a Loved One Have Acute Myeloid Leukemia?
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a relatively rare but fast-growing and potentially fatal form of cancer that starts in the marrow inside the bones. About 12,000 cases of AML are diagnosed in the United States each year, mostly among older men. AML is also called acute myelogenous leukemia, acute myeloblastic leukemia, acute granulocytic leukemia, and acute nonlymphocytic leukemia.

AML Acute Myeloid Leukemia

AML forces the bone marrow to produce many unformed cells, also called blasts. Instead of turning into white blood cells, which are crucial in the body for fighting infections, these abnormal blasts cannot fight infections, leaving AML patients vulnerable. As the number of these blast cells increase, they interfere with the work of normal red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets.

What Causes AML?
AML is more common in men and is most often seen in older people, typically developing around age 65. It is rarely seen in people younger than 40. Exposure to toxic chemicals, such as benzene, and to radiation drugs given for cancer treatments is a known cause of AML. Some people may also be genetically more predisposed to AML.

If you or a loved one has developed acute myeloid leukemia, we urge you to contact qualified legal counsel for a complete review of your injury and determination of your possible legal rights.

Acute myelogenous leukemia; AML; Acute granulocytic leukemia; Acute nonlymphocytic leukemia (ANLL); Leukemia - acute myeloid (AML); Leukemia - acute granulocytic; Leukemia - nonlymphocytic (ANLL)
Last reviewed: September 6, 2010.

AML Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is cancer that starts inside bone marrow, the soft tissue inside bones that helps form blood cells. The cancer grows from cells that would normally turn into white blood cells.

Acute means the disease develops quickly. Causes, incidence, and risk factors. Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is one of the most common types of leukemia among adults. This type of cancer is rare under age 40. It generally occurs around age 60. (This article focuses on AML in adults.)

AML is more common in men than women.
Persons with this type of cancer have abnormal cells inside their bone marrow. The cells grow very fast, and replace healthy blood cells. The bone marrow, which helps the body fight infections, eventually stops working correctly. Persons with AML become more prone to infections and have an increased risk for bleeding as the numbers of healthy blood cells decrease.

Most of the time, a doctor cannot tell you what caused AML. However, the following things are thought to lead to some types of leukemia, including  AML:
• Certain chemicals (for example, benzene),
• Certain chemotherapy drugs, including etoposide and drugs known as alkylating agents.
• Radiation.

Problems with your genes may also play a role in the development of AML.

AML Acute Myeloid Leukemia

You have an increased risk for AML if you have or had any of the following:

• A weakened immune system (immunosuppression) due to an organ transplant,
• Blood disorders, including:
• Polycythemia vera,
• Essential thrombocythemia,
• Myelodysplasia (refractory anemia),
• Exposure to radiation and chemicals.

Symptoms
• Bleeding from the nose,
• Bleeding gums,
• Bruising,
• Bone pain or tenderness,
• Fatigue,
• Fever,
• Heavy menstrual periods,
• Pallor,
• Shortness of breath (gets worse with exercise),
• Skin rash or lesion,
• Swollen gums (rare),
• Weight loss.

AML Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Treatment
Treatment involves using medicines to kill the cancer cells. This is called chemotherapy. But chemotherapy kills normal cells, too. This may cause side effects such as excessive bleeding and an increased risk for infection. Your doctor may want to keep you away from other people to prevent infection.

Other treatments for AML may include:
• Antibiotics to treat infection,
• Bone marrow transplant or stem cell transplant after radiation and chemotherapy,
• Red blood cell transfusions to fight anemia,
• Transfusions of platelets to control bleeding.

Most types of AML are treated the same way. However, a form of AML called acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) is treated with a medicine called all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA). This medicine helps leukemia cells grow into normal white blood cells.

The drug arsenic trioxide is for use in patients with APL who do not get better with ATRA or chemotherapy. 

Do You Have AML Acute Myeloid Leukemia