Risks for AML

Acute myeloid leukemia, or AML, is a type of cancer of the blood and bone marrow. As the most common type of acute leukemia, there are 11,900 new cases of AML each year among American adults. This cancer is fast growing. In AML the bone marrow produces cells called blasts. These blasts don't turn into infection fighting white blood cells as they should, and instead overwhelm red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets.

Age

• AML is most common among older adults, with the average age being 65. While fewer than 10 percent of those with AML are children, one in five children stricken with leukemia have AML and of all leukemias in infants, AML is most common, according to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Exposure

• AML is also linked to exposure to certain toxins. One that is a known risk factor is exposure to benzene. The most common way to contact benzene is through cigarette smoke. However, it can be present in industrial settings although more stringent laws regarding benzene exposure has lessened the likelihood of workplace contact with the carcinogen. Benzene is often an ingredient in methamphetamine as well.

Other disorders or diseases

• Those who have previously had other blood cancers or disorders have an increased risk of developing AML. These would include idiopathic myelofibrosis, myelodysplastic syndromes, polycythemia vera and primary thrombocythemia. Also, those with certain genetic disorders such as Down syndrome, Diamond-Blackfan syndrome, Fanconi anemia and Shwachman syndrome are at increased risk for AML. Additionally, chemotherapy or radiation treatments for cancer can elevate the odds of developing AML.

Symptoms

• Symptoms of AML include nosebleeds, bleeding gums, fatigue, fevers, bruising, bone aching/pain, paleness, breathlessness, skin rash or sores, heavy periods, and weight loss. Other signs of AML are night sweats, loss of appetite, excessive bleeding from cuts or wounds, slow healing wounds, red spots under the skin and frequent minor infections.