What is Leukaemia?

Leukaemia is the general name given to a group of cancers that develop in the bone marrow. Leukaemia originates in developing blood cells, which have undergone a malignant change. This means that they multiply in an uncontrolled way and do not mature as they are supposed to. Because they have not matured properly these cells are unable to function properly. Most cases of leukaemia originate in developing white cells. In a small number of cases leukaemia develops in other blood forming cells, for example, in developing red cells or developing platelets.
There are several different types and subtypes of leukaemia. Leukaemia can be either acute or chronic. The terms "acute" and "chronic" refer to how quickly the disease develops and progresses.
What is Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (AML)?
AML is a type of cancer that affects immature blood cells on the myeloid cell line. AML causes an over production of abnormal blast cells (immature white cells) which crowd the bone marrow and prevent it from making normal blood cells. Because the bone marrow cannot function properly it cannot produce adequate numbers of red cells, normal white cells and platelets. This makes people with AML more susceptible to anaemia, recurrent infections and to bruising and bleeding easliy. The abnormal blast cells (leukaemic blasts) eventually spill out into the blood stream and can accumulate in various organs like the spleen and liver.
Each year in Australia around 2,290 adults and children are diagnosed with leukaemia. Of these, around 600 adults and around 50 children are diagnosed with the type of Leukaemia called AML.