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Strengths and Weaknesses of AML Treatment

A cancer of the blood and bone marrow, acute myeloid leukemia (AML) develops when bone marrow stem cells, instead of producing healthy white and red blood cells and platelets, develop abnormal, or leukemia, cells. These abnormal cells build up in the blood and bone marrow, crowding out the normal cells, which leads to excessive bleeding, infections and anemia. Several treatments exist for AML, with strengths and weaknesses for each treatment.

  1. Defined Standard Treatment

    • Having a definite course of treatment for any disease or condition results in a good outcome, due to the experience from prior treatments. Such a standard exists for AML, with immediate treatment following diagnosis consisting of chemotherapy with standard drugs called induction therapy that calls for destruction of as many AML cells as possible. Like any treatment, full recovery cannot be promised, but the standard therapy is based on solid knowledge gained from experience, and so gives patients a good chance of successfully fighting the disease.

    Side Effects

    • Virtually every treatment for any disease carries side effects. AML, with chemotherapy, radiation treatment and other courses of action, is no different. As always, the side effects of a treatment must be weighed against the benefits. Some of the side effects of AML treatment include loss of hair, general weakness and risk of infection.

    Research and Innovation

    • A crucial advantage involving AML treatment relates to the continuous efforts to find new and improved means to combat this disease. What classifies as experimental today can be standard tomorrow. Stem cell transplants, new anticancer drugs and targeted therapy that kills only the cancer cells and not normal cells represent some of the innovations. Clinical trials continue to test the latest ideas with AML patients volunteering as subjects.

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